Don't Say A Word
by Lady of Revenge
Summary: When a sunny high schoolboy meets a schizophrenic and silent mental hospital patient. NaruSasu. Warnings for rape/child-abuse in flashbacks , mental illnesses.
1. Prologue: My Senses Tell Me To Stop

**Don't Say A Word.**

AU.

_Rating:_ R

_Pairing: _NaruSasu, maybe a hint of KakaIru here and there, but it's not going to be an actual pairing.

_Warnings_: Shounen-ai, self-mutilation, maybe child abuse, maniacs, weird humour, OOCness in some characters, small incest hints in the flashbacks, nothing big, (hopefully) small grammar mistakes (I'm from Finland, not England.)

_Disclaimer:_ I sadly don't own these characters, the almighty Masashi Kishimoto-sensei does. Worship the man, he deserves it.

_Some kind of summary:_ When the sun meets the moon, there can be dramatic changes. A high school student Naruto meets Sasuke, mental hospital patient, accused for killing his brother.

And please note that I really don't know much about mental hospitals and don't EVER intend to offence anyone who knows more. I just wanted to make this really strange mix of really strange things. Sorry.

* * *

Prologue.

"_Sasuke."_

"…_Shut up."_

"_Please don't."_

"_Why not?"_

"_Ah…no... What I mean is…hmmh...never mind. No matter what I say... You're not going to listen to me anyway. You never did."_

"…_I did. I did so many times and you never noticed!"_

"_Well… I am sorry for that. Truly. I listened, every time, I loved your happy face, little brother."_

"…………"

"_What are you waiting for? Just kill me, already. I'm not worthy of living, not anymore."_

"…_What?"_

"_Didn't you chase after me because of that?"_

"…_Hnh."_

"_You know… I did it for you."_

"…_Shut up. You're not…not..."_

"_Hmmm? You know, Sasuke…there's no time anymore."_

"_I will be damned…damned for eternity. These eyes…they're burning me."_

"_Hah…no. You will be rewarded. I'm not sorry for them. Not sorry for myself. But for you…you know? Don't be afraid of those eyes, not anymore. Strike, already. Strike, please."_

"…"

"_Don't cry."_

"…_. Shut up. Just…shut up!"_

_SLASH._

"…_t-that's…good. You know...it was… pure love, Sasuke. Pure...b-brotherly…l-l-love. Don't cry for me. I love you…otoouto._

"…_. I'm not crying…aniki. I-I…I am certainly not crying! But I…t-t-think…I… God, I don't where am I or who am I anymore…but…God…I loved…you…I still…do.._

"_T-That's good, little brother. That is…good…"_

_And the ominous killer Uchiha Itachi lived no more, blood-red eyes closed for eternity._

* * *

A/N: Well well, that was short. Sumimasen. Better luck next time. See ya. 

(I am sorry if Itachi seemed a little too OOC. I just can't seem to make him too much like that emotionless asshole that he's in the series.)


	2. Chapter 1: Don't Say A Word

Sometimes he truly hated his life.

Ever since the all-time-cheery high school student Naruto Uzumaki – with messy, long blonde hair and big, bright blue eyes – had taken a summertime job on one hot day, he regretted that. And of course really regretted the bet he had made with his best buddies, Kiba Inuzuka and Shikamaru Nara. And _of course _he had lost the damn bet. And here he was. The place was called Akai Tsuki (1) Hospital. Yes, a hospital. And it had to be a mental hospital at that. Naruto sighed, silently cursing himself and his damn so-called friends.

_Curse them. _Naruto sighed again. It's entirely his obnoxious classmate's, Kiba's fault. Nobody came to Akai Tsuki without being mental themselves. Well, he couldn't back out now. The 17-year-old boy grabbed his bag again from the ground and started walking towards the entrance. The clock hit exactly 9 o'clock when he arrived to the desk, where seemed already to be the receptionist or a nurse or something, tall – but not nearly as tall as Naruto, who had grown very much during only these few years – brownhaired man with a ponytail.

"Err... excuse me?" Naruto dared to ask. He was usually very talkative, very loud person. But suddenly hefelt a little less loud than usual.The ponytail-man turned to him and Naruto saw a clean, straight scar across his nose. The man smiled to him – very gently – and nodded.

"Ah, you must be Naruto, right? I am Iruka. Iruka Umino, very nice meeting you!" Man said softly and shook Naruto's hand. Naruto couldn't help but grin at Iruka, who seemed to be very young and quite shy.

"Yes, that's me. Nice meeting you too!" Iruka blushed a little and nodded.

"Well... you're early here…and I was just going to go visit our patients and give them food. They act strangely when hungry, so will just wait here for a minute?" Naruto nodded and waited. _Act strangely? Of course, they are here because they're… you know…crazy. _He waited a little more and then Iruka came again, pushing a trolley full of food.

"Ah…you don't have to help me yet, just follow what I do, okay? Yes, as you notice, our hospital isn't that big, so they aren't too many patients." Iruka explained and started to walk down one corridor and motioned for Naruto to follow him.

As they arrived to the dining room, Naruto saw only five patients, sitting patiently. And one skinny woman standing near the wall with long, white coat.

"Kurenai-sensei, have they been well?" Iruka asked the woman, who turned to look at them. Naruto almost felt his jaw hit the floor. Kurenai, this mystic black-haired lady had _red eyes. _Kurenai giggled.

"Awh, this is Naruto? What a cutie!" Naruto survived from his stunned state and laughed.

"Yep, that's me!" He had always had that kind of confidence and he really liked when people complimented him. Still the sunny boy had never become…arrogant.

"C'mon, Kurenai-sensei, we have to…"

"Stop worrying, Iruka-_kun!_" Kurenai stopped the worried looking man in middle sentence and then, suddenly clapped her hands together.

"Everyone, lunchtime!" The patients raised their heads and Naruto examined them, curious boy as he had always been. There was one woman near the opposite wall with short, black hair and dark, pretty eyes. She held a small pig-plushie. But she gave Naruto a very sweet smile, before starting to hum in her own little fairy world.

"I suppose we should introduce them..." Kurenai said and pointed at the only other woman in the room. Her name was Shizune. One of the four men was called Mizuki; he had white hair and bright blue eyes. He looked very…sour, yes, that was the right word. Three other man were called Asuma – he was very broad-shouldered man with thick black hair and a beard -, Kabuto – silverhaired young lad with round glasses and a smug smirk – he seemed to smirk all the time, to everything and anything – and Kakashi, with messy silver hair and a bandage covering his left eye. He was really good-looking. Naruto hit himself mentally. When had he started looking at other dudes that way?

When Iruka gave them their food, they all smiled at him and thanked. Naruto almost wondered what in the world they were doing here…they didn't even look like they were…mental or anything at that. His thoughts were cut by lazy male voice:

"Awwh, Iruka-kun! Is this supposed to be my lunch today? I'd rather have something…maybe…something more…_alive,_ you know?" Naruto raised his eyebrows. _What in the world...? _What he saw made him want to laugh his eyes off. The man called Kakashi was looking like a kicked puppy but the look he gave to Iruka with his visible eye was more than enough to make the shy brownhaired man blush furiously.

"K-Kakashi-san! Please, do not speak that way!" Iruka stuttered and hurried away from the dining room. Naruto laughed and saw Kakashi take out a small, orange book and start to read it. Before he went to ask what the book was, Kurenai stopped him, obviously trying to stop herself from giggling.

"It's better if you don't. That book is not good for kids like you…and…yes, maybe Kakashi kind of has the _hots_ for Iruka, who knows? That guy has been here quite a long time, after all. And he will be released quite soon, after all."

And for the rest of the day Naruto didn't hear any reasons, which made him quite miserable. It had been pretty funny to see Iruka blush that way, and to know that Iruka really did blush very much, to everything.

During the next few days, he actually managed to get few friends – from two other patients he hadn't met that day, blonde man named Deidara – he liked to blow things up and was playing with his toys in his room all the time - and his buddy Sasori – who really didn't speak much -, but especially from the weird man called Kakashi-sensei, the _scarecrow. _It had been fun, Kakashi joking all the time and telling Naruto stories about old Chinese and Japanese legends and all that stuff. And the scarecrow even managed to show Naruto his book, which made the boy avoid the eccentric man for few days.

You know, the book was so…_perverted._ What can you expect from a title like _Come Come Paradise?_

Yes, it was fun, until Kakashi told him that In Akai Tsuki, they also kept criminals, yes, real living criminals, who had been diagnosed as schizophrenic and all other stuff. And Naruto, as extreme-loving person as he was, of course wanted to see these people. It didn't take long for him to beg for Iruka to let him see these people. After all, the staff of Akai Tsuki contained only five people – two guys named Izumo and Kotetsu and one lady named Tsunade – she was one scary woman – including Kurenai and Iruka. And Iruka happened to be the one in charge, because the old lady Tsunade was on ill vacation. Iruka sighed, after fifteen minutes blackmailing from Naruto's side – _I'm going to tell Kakashi that you liiiiike him too! – _He barely kept the blush from his face and motioned for Naruto to follow him when he next time was taking food for these 'scary people'. The corridor was small and it made Naruto feel insignificant, uncertain.

"Heavy... heavy atmosphere." Naruto dared to say. He didn't even notice his voice shivering. Iruka patted his shoulder.

"I know, Naruto-kun. I know…I warn you…they may seem quite sane, but you don't want to make them angry…" He pushed the food trolley forward and opened one little hatch in the door on his left.

"Oh, lunch time already?" Asked a surprisingly clear voice behind the door, making Naruto jump. Iruka laughed, sounding a little tense.

"Yes, yes, Shiranui-san."¨

"Good… I am already very… hungry." The man's voice was suddenly low and Naruto felt himself shivering and smiled sheepishly. Iruka noticed it and sent a comforting smile at him.

"Don't worry. His name is Genma Shiranui, accused of murdering two cops, brutally and –..." He couldn't continue, when Shiranui's voice interrupted.

"Excuse me, Iruka-kun…don't say things like that! You made me sound like I am some kind of terrible, cold-blooded killer…" Naruto could have sworn he heard a hint of mocking hurt in the sarcastic voice. Iruka sighed.

"Hai, hai Shiranui-san." Naruto peeked through a little window in the door and saw a small-built man with dark eyes and brown hair. Shiranui coughed, noticed him and sent him an evil grin. Strange thing was the stick that was hanging from his mouth.

They continued walking through the corridor. There were three more people to meet, Iruka said and stopped in front of one door. At first, they didn't hear anything as Iruka pushed to plate through the hatch in the door. Then, a sharp voice asked:

"Who's with you, Umino?" Naruto stared. At the window, man with bluish skin and very sharp, black eyes was staring back. Iruka sighed.

"Naruto Uzumaki, he has summer job here…"

"Tsh." The man in the window snorted, sarcastically.

"Little kid…" Iruka's eyes narrowed.

"Manners, Hoshigaki-san, manners!" Iruka said in a surprisingly stern voice.

"_Yes, mother." _Answered the shark-like man in the window with a scornful voice, shot Naruto a mocking glare and pulled back. Naruto was getting a little pissed of. _Little kid? Him? Who did that guy think he was?_

"Please don't mind him, Naruto-kun." Iruka said, speaking again with that soft voice that Naruto had grown to like in past few days.

"He's Kisame Hoshigaki, killer from the criminal organization which was destroyed only a year ago." Iruka explained and Naruto nodded. This really was interesting. The other man he met was called Zabuza Momochi. He had short black hair and bandages covered half of his face. He was quite scary, but spoke to Iruka quite politely, only nodded at Naruto. Naruto shivered when he heard that Zabuza was the one responsible for the mass murder of two large families from two years ago and was still in here because he seemed to like slashing people in pieces. Naruto was quite surprised when Iruka told him that a boy about Naruto's age visited Zabuza-san quite often. Then they moved to the last door.

Little did the sunny boy know that this last one might change his life to one way or another.

"And lastly…"

_When had Iruka's voice gotten so sad? Like he wants to cry and can't?_

"Iruka-san…"

_Naruto's own voice shivered, before he could make it sound right. He frowned. What was wrong with him? It couldn't be anything worse than what they had already seen, could it?_

Iruka didn't look at him.

"M-maybe… I-I-it's better that you don't…look."

"…Why?"

Iruka didn't speak for a while, when he opened the hatch again.

"Uchiha-san, time for you lunch." Naruto blinked.

_U-Uchiha? But wasn't that…wasn't that the one…?_

"Yes, Naruto-kun." Iruka said after seeing his confused look.

"His name is Sasuke Uchiha, the little brother of the cold and emotionless killer Itachi Uchiha from six years ago. Wiped out his own family from existence. Yes, Itachi Uchiha is dead now. _He's_ the one who killed him…at the young age of 14. Almost killed other people too, ripped apart one cat and moved here. An orphan, nobody here to care for him." Naruto suddenly felt blood freeze in his veins. But a wave of sadness soon overcame everything.

"I want to look at him, please?"

"Naruto-kun…yes…you may do that. But please notice the fact that Uchiha-san…can't see you. And he hasn't spoken a word in these three years. Well, not to anyone else…only to me…but he speaks so coldly, so silently…" Iruka looked so sad and Naruto frowned again and blinked. Why? He looked inside the window in the door and froze again.

Small white room, containing only one small bed. And on the bed sat a boy, not much older than him, maybe even few inches shorter, maybe even the same age. He had messy bluish-black hair, pearl-white skin and very skinny body. He had handcuffs on his pale arms. His eyes were covered with a blindfold, but still he turned his head to the door, hair falling on the beautiful – as much as Naruto could see – face. Naruto could only stare.

_So young._

_So…fragile._

Naruto wiped his eyes when he felt tears form. The sight was just…miserable. He shivered even when Iruka ruffled his hair, sad expression on his face. The boy in the room was quiet and nodded.

"But he's really…really…"

"I know, Naruto-kun."

"Why...why is he wearing…a blindfold? Handcuffs?" Iruka sighed, still ruffling his blonde hair.

"His eyes...well, he could do…things, with those eyes of his. Two nurses fainted when looking at him, one broke her arm, one even died and I…I couldn't even breathe when looking at them. His eyes…were…_red_. Pure, _blood_…red. And…he just…he acts very…aggressively most of the time. Although I am quite the only one that he accepts there, he even tried to attack me few times…"

Naruto said nothing, just stared at the floor before bowing and heading outside. He just…couldn't bear to look at as warm-hearted person as Iruka, looking so sad. And that boy in the room…Naruto didn't know what to do, what to say. For the first time in his short life, he was speechless.

Maybe he didn't have to do anything; after all, words couldn't help the young Uchiha, not anymore.

So ended Naruto's first week in the Akai Tsuki Mental Hospital. And already he wasn't sure if he wanted to go back, to perhaps see the pale boy in his room, in his darkness, blindfold covering his dark eyes, long, pale fingers trying to grab something that he couldn't get.

* * *

Akai Tsuki…c'mon.. you can guess. A-KAT-SU-KI. _Hai hai_. Our famous criminal organization.

A/N: Yes, I have fun writing this. (Well, I pity what I did to Sasuke. Sad.) Yes, this is supposed to be an AU-fic but I couldn't help but put the blindfold on Sasuke. And the Sharingan? Maybe he has them. We shall see to that. Gomen ne. Tell me what you think.

'Til next time, people!


	3. Chapter 2: Don't Speak

Here's few answers:

To **Haruko:** Why, very much thank you for saying that. But I was just playing with words, you know? Oo Just because Akatsuki and Akai Tsuki are quite similar… please.

To **Kari:** Thank you for your words.  Here's an update.

And equal thanks to **Myrdschaem, Sha, cfox** and all the others. You made my day.

( And… shygirl: Upeaa. Kiitoksia. : D )

* * *

Naruto's second week started without much interruption, although he was informed that Genma Shiranui, that man who had killed cops, was no longer there, he had been moved to other place…and he had been replaced with another. Also, Asuma and Mizuki had been released, since they no longer seemed to be having any illusions flying around their heads or something equally dangerous. Naruto wasn't exactly sad to see them leave, since he had felt uncomfortable every time one of them laid their eyes on him.

Oh, wait. Scratch the last part. The world 'uncomfortable' didn't even belong in Naruto Uzumaki's vocabulary, it was more like a feeling of being a little, miserable ant.

Naruto sighed as he stepped inside of Akai Tsuki again. He didn't sigh because he was depressed, or even sad. He sighed because he just felt like. He did a lot of things just because _'he felt like it.' _Many people had learned that the hard way. Naruto grinned inwardly as he walked down the corridor to the office. He had always been a troublemaker, never really caring what others think. Even today he was wearing a bright orange t-shirt with the words _'Beauty and intelligence hand in hand' _written in black, and light brown baggy pants, which were only knee-high. And of course his favourite dark blue shoes. If that outfit perhaps had been wore by someone else, it would have looked stupid. But Naruto somehow made it look really cool. Completed with a loose red tie, he truly was a image of Rebellion. The tall blonde now had reached his destination and knocked.

"Iruka-sensei?"

"Naruto? Oh, come in." Naruto opened the door and put his bag on the nearest chair. He waved and grinned to Izumo, who walked by.

"Nee, sensei? What do we do today? Is the _baba_ still away or has she returned?" Naruto slid next to Iruka, where the man was working with his computer. His questions earned him a sharp glance from the usually gentle-hearted man.

"Naruto, please. Don't call Tsunade that. You know she doesn't like it. And by the way, it's just rude." Naruto sighed.

"Argh… don't be so boring. What's wrong with calling her old hag? Because she is one…" Iruka glanced at him again and sighed.

"You're just impossible." Naruto grinned and patted Iruka's back.

"That I am." Iruka just sighed again.

"Go fool around with Izumo and Kotetsu, okay? They should be just giving early lunch to the patients we have left. Kurenai is sick, she called this morning, so not to worry. I'll be done in a minute."

"'kay." Naruto said, grinned and left without another word, singing a random song. A song with lyrics that should never be published. Iruka blushed again and started writing with his computer a little more quickly.

As Naruto stepped inside the small lunchroom, he first saw that it seemed to be quite empty. Shizune was humming to herself again in the corner, still clutching the pig-plushie to her chest. At times, she would say something and smile awkwardly. Naruto smiled. He had really liked her the first time he saw her, Shizune just seemed to be the time to be liked by everyone. Naruto waited before waving at her. Shizune took her time to notice him and smiled that awkward smile of hers as she waved back. Izumo was blabbering happily with Kakashi in the right corner, while Kotetsu was glaring daggers at his partner, for forgetting his work. Kabuto was reading a newspaper, but Naruto felt his annoying smirk even without seeing the man.

Kotetsu's sour look immediately brightened, as he noticed Naruto.

"Yo, Naruto!" Naruto waved.

"What's up, anything drastic happened here?" Kotetsu shrugged.

"Nothing much. Just happy that that creepy Shiranui guy was moved. He just scared me…" And then Kotetsu stared at Naruto again.

"I heard that you visited our poor raven boy down there last week, didn't ya?" A knowing smirk appeared on Kotetsu's face.

"Huh? So?" Naruto blinked. Kotetsu poked his forehead and suddenly his smirk wasn't a smirk, but a smile, a quite sad one.

"Miserable sight, isn't he?" Naruto smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah, yeah…"

"Now that you mention him, I think he…"

"….you mentioned him first…"

"…he caused a real havoc last night. Must have been a real bad nightmare, or something…" Kotetsu continued without even listening to Naruto, who now frowned.

"Nightmare?" Kotetsu looked guilty.

"Actually…only Iruka knows. Or only he's supposed to now. Uchiha sees a lot of nightmares… Iruka's really the only one the Uchiha kid accepts even near his room. No wonder, Iruka's a real mother hen when it comes to young people needing help..." And Naruto couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Awwwh, but Iruka-_sensei!" _Kakashi was once again teasing the brownhaired man, who had appeared just a moment ago. You just could see a vein throbbing in Iruka's forehead.

"It's a no. A definite NO." He said in a dangerously low voice. Even if Kakashi tried his wonderful puppy face at him, it wouldn't work. Iruka just smacked him in the head with the papers he was holding. Shizune giggled at the sight and went back to her dream world, Sasori just sighed – he seemed to be sighing all the time – and Kabuto just ignored them and buried himself behind a mountain of books he had somehow gotten his hands on. Izumo and Kotetsu were obviously trying to prevent themselves from laughing, without much result. Iruka glared at them angrily.

"All of you, back to work. Naruto, come."

"'Kay, sensei." Naruto said in a innocent tone and followed Iruka, waving happily at Kakashi, who winked.

Corridors seemed to be empty. Akai Tsuki wasn't that big, but the walk to the criminal yard seemed to take so much time. To Naruto's surprise, he saw a tall – well, not as tall as he – blackhaired girl – _or was it a girl, actually, Naruto could see a little smirk on pretty lips_ – walking besides them.

"Haku-kun! Leaving already?" Iruka stopped. Naruto raised his eyebrows. The girly boy – he still wasn't that sure – stopped too and smiled, nodding. Haku was dressed in white trousers and light blue t-shirt that really did gave away his gender – and his pale beauty very much. Naruto blushed. He had really thought that Haku was a girl for a moment. Iruka introduced him. Haku smiled at him too, before turning back to Iruka.

"Zabuza-san was very kind,there was noproblem at all.I'll be back next week, I'm going on a trip with my aunt. It was nice to meet you, Naruto-kun." Haku said – his voice was really gentle -, nodded at Naruto and left. He moved with such gracefulness that Naruto almost wondered why people weren't falling at his feet. It was almost cruel for a boy to be that pretty. If Naruto had met Haku at a different time, he would have thought so. But now his thoughts were on a different boy with raven black hair.

They approached the last door and Iruka sighed.

"He has been quite reckless for the last few days…I think he misses somebody. Just talk to him, please. I must be going." Iruka blabbered, looked uncertain for a second before he left down the corridor. Naruto waved and looked around, before setting his gaze on the blank white door. He sat down on a chair that was next to it and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Yo." He started. He felt kind of stupid to be talking like this, since he was absolutely certain that he wasn't going to get an answer from the silent boy behind the door.

"You're probably wondering who the hell I am. Well… my name is Naruto Uzumaki, 17 years of age, a student at the Raikiri High School, I have always been a troublemaker and a problem child, I'm an orphan so I live in the dorms. I get money because I work two jobs, four times a week – now I'm on a summer break so it's just one job -, now here too so it makes three jobs, although I really don't do much around here, just sit around and joke with Kakashi. He's a funny guy, have you seen him?" Naruto hesitated.

"Err…maybe you haven't. Yeah, but Iruka has been inside the room, hasn't he?" Naruto just continued, knowing, that maybe he was never going to hear an answer.

"Iruka's such a sweet guy. If I had a father, I would like it to be someone like him." Naruto smiled to himself.

"Don't you think so too, Sasuke? Well, you probably do. He said he's the only one you don't…attack." Blonde's smile faded.

"I don't like it, Sasuke. Not one bit! It' just weird to see someone like you, somebody at the same age as me, just locked inside, with no chance to go anywhere. It makes me feel weird. Just…weird! There's not other word for it, no." Naruto was quiet for a while and his smile just came back, suddenly, but it was a little, sad one. He hadn't even noticed that he had actually called Sasuke by his first name.

"I guess you can't actually go out, huh? Must be really boring. I love to be outside, in the sunshine, in the rain. Everyday. I couldn't even think about how it would feel to be locked inside all day, all night. Heh, well, I'm flamboyant and outgoing and friends with almost everybody at my school – I'm not telling lies, believe me – and teachers don't know what to do with me because I blabber and blabber and blabber. Err… yeah. Like now." Naruto's laughter got stuck in his throat when all the hair in his neck suddenly rose and a tingling feeling entered his head.

'_Stop.' _Naruto wasn't even sure if he really had even heard something. That surely hadn't been his thought. His heart had suddenly frozen in his chest. He didn't like the feeling one bit. He rose and turned to see inside the dark room. His eyes widened. Sasuke was standing in the middle of the little room and his head was turned towards the door. Naruto froze again. He knew – oh God, he knew! – that under than blindfold those emotionless blood red eyes were staring straight at him.

"Uchiha?" Long, silent moment they just stared blindly at each other, before Sasuke turned away and lay down on his bed, the sound of handcuffs ringing in Naruto's ears like thunder. Even as loud and cheerful person as Naruto felt like crying. What the fuck? Why the hell world felt so cruel at the moment. Maybe that kid was really a murderer; maybe it had been his hands, his hands holding the sword that went trough Itachi Uchiha's chest. But it felt just so cruel to see a young person like him…locked up.

"Ahhahhh. I guess you don't like me talking too much. Sorry." Naruto grinned sheepishly and started walking away. He just couldn't bear be near that room any longer. With his head bowed, he didn't see Zabuza staring straight at him, like the man knew everything and everyone. That man scared him, really. Naruto rushed to where Iruka – looking really tired – was serving lunch to the few that were left. Sasori wasn't interested; he was playing with his dolls again. But he smiled his sleepy smile at Naruto before forgot that the boy was even there. Shizune hummed to herself again. To Naruto's surprise, he saw Kakashi standing beside one window, smug grin on his face. Naruto held back laughter. It hadn't been long since the man had been released, but he seemed to like coming back. The gaze of those mismatched - the other was a shade of stunning reddish brown, the other was black – eyes was quite firmly staring at poor Iruka, who was doing all he could to ignore the Scarecrow. Kakashi grinned even widely when he saw Naruto.

"Hey there, Naruto! What's up?" Naruto waved and went to him.

"Nothing much, Kakashi-sensei. You seem to be having quite much fun teasing Iruka-sensei, don't cha?" Kakashi laughed and ruffled Naruto's sunshine-blond hair.

"You're right 'bout that, kid. He's so much fun to tease. And blushes so easily…_whaaat a cutie._" Kakashi grinned mischievously. They weren't actually whispering and Iruka heard everything. He blushed furiously – again – and straightened instantly. Naruto and Kakashi laughed loudly as Iruka almost dropped Deidara's half empty plate that the blonde bomber hadn't like to eat.

"H-Hatake-san! Please, don't speak like that! You…you…put those weird thoughts in Naruto's head too!" Iruka sounded almost concerned about the boy and Kakashi stepped closer and bowed, grin still tucking his lips.

"Well, I'm sorry. And I have told you to call me Kakashi. You don't have to be so formal all the time." Kakashi grinned. Iruka raised his eyebrows.

"But, I have to go now." Iruka sighed. _'What in the world am I going to do with this guy?' _Iruka barely had time to even wince when Kakashi suddenly flashed an evil smile, slapped poor Iruka's ass and ran away before Iruka could throw something too heavy at him. Naruto had real trouble holding back his laughter. Even Deidara, who rarely was interested in the outside world, had seen the event and was grinning. Naruto grinned at the other blonde and then tried to calm poor, angry, teased Iruka down. While giggling Kurenai and smirking Izumo and Kotetsu – the two of them were rarely seen without each other – too the patients to their rooms, Naruto's grin faded.

He turned to Iruka.

"_Nee, sensei…_could I someday go to Sasuke's room? He hasn't done anything drastic, actually." Iruka blinked.

"To his room? Why?" Naruto grinned awkwardly.

"Because I do believe he wouldn't do anything to me. Do you ever take his blindfold off, by the way?" Iruka shook his head.

"N-no… we wouldn't dare…and Tsunade-sensei has forbid it. And we don't want to make her angry, she's one scary woman she is at rage." He said in a serious tone, looking at Naruto.

"I don't know, really. I don't like to see someone as fragile as Uchiha-san sitting in that room all by himself. But I can't do anything about it, I am sorry." Iruka shivered.

"He speaks so little and when he does, all the words are so cold, like he really doesn't feel anything anymore. It's truthfully spoken, a little scary." Iruka's voice faded and a blush appeared on his face when he realized just how much he had just talked. Naruto grinned and patted the man's back.

"Awwh. I wish that Sasuke would speak to me sometimes, too." The tall and obnoxious blonde wasn't usually awkward or uncertain, no, that word didn't even exist in his vocabulary. But Naruto wasn't that sure about himself.

When had Sasuke Uchiha's fate started to affect him so much?

Naruto's train of thought was leaving on it's own ways so he didn't quite catch that Iruka had spoken to him.

"…uto...?"

"Naruto? Are you okay?" Naruto blinked. He saw Iruka looking at him, concern in his brown eyes. Naruto grinned and scratched the back of his head.

"Err…I was just thinking…no need to worry, sensei. I'm okay." Iruka smiled almost shyly.

"It's good, then."

"Heh. But, I must be on my way now. Dorm is lonely and empty without me. It's just a sad thing that I have to live in the dorms even in the summer." Naruto bowed, flashed a sunny smile and went on his way. Iruka sighed and shook his head. And oh, he saw that it was time to feed those poor bastards on the criminal ward. Few minutes later he walked down the corridor pushing the trolley, together with tired-looking Izumo, who yawned. Iruka stopped by different doors and every time the patient looked at him behind their bars, Kisame grinning his shark-like grin and insulting Iruka. That earned a sharp glance from both Izumo and Iruka.

It didn't take long for them to reach the final door and the aura of darkness around it. Izumo stayed back.

"Ya know, Iruka…I don't like him." The man said without even blinking his eyes. Iruka sighed.

"Alright, alright. Just wait a minute." When Iruka pushed the food plate through the little hole in the door, a voice suddenly spoke. Izumo looked away but Iruka could see that the other man shivered.

"Umino." No formalities, not a hint of innocence that young boys still should have.

"H-hai, Uchiha-san?" Iruka was suddenly afraid. He even admitted to himtself, that really, he had always been scared of Sasuke Uchiha, that dry, chilling cold voice that spoke words of murder and death so easily. Sasuke was quiet for a long time, before he spoke again.

"Where…is he?"

"W-who are you talking about?" Iruka didn't hear an answer, only soft whisper that sounded something like 'damn you all.'

"That boy…the fox…boy…." Sasuke's voice faded. This time Iruka was really surprised. Had that been uncertainty that he had heard in that quiet, cold voice?

"He…must come back." And after that, Sasuke fell silent and didn't speak again.

Naruto didn't come the next day. Nor did he come the day after. And the day after that. Whole week was spent without him. Sasuke growled at Iruka and asked always where the sunny boy was, his voice trembling. Sasuke saw more nightmares that week that even in the last year. Iruka was worried about him and Naruto. Blonde had been here everyday, blabbering on and on about nothing and – how it seemed to be to Iruka -, slowly, slowly melting the ice around Sasuke Uchiha's icy cold heart. Or so Iruka believed, _wanted _to believe, that there was some life left in Sasuke and that someone could make that will of fire burn strongly like it did when Sasuke was still a kid.

Iruka sighed as he sat in the staff room. He felt so tired, so damn tired. He didn't even notice tears on his cheeks. He sniffed. Why? Why was he crying? He had really grown fond of both Naruto and Sasuke. Iruka couldn't even understand why his gentle heart burned with fear, with sorrow that made him cry even harder.

"Iruka-sensei?" A voice suddenly spoke and Iruka's head snapped up. When his brown eyes spotted Kakashi standing by the door, he flinched. Iruka stood up and wiped his tears away, cheeks burning with embarrassment. How could he have cried in front of someone like Kakashi.

"Iruka-sensei, why were you crying?" Kakashi's voice was surprisingly gentle. Iruka took a deep breath and tried to walk past him.

"N-nothing, it's nothing…"

"I don't believe you." Kakashi grabbed his hand. Iruka still stared at the floor, feeling tears burning in his eyes again.

"Let me go, please."

"No."

Iruka started trembling. He didn't see the sad smile that rose on Kakashi's face and the next thing Iruka knew was those strong arms that pulled him against a warm chest. And he couldn't help but start to cry again, silently, his face buried on Kakashi's shoulder. Silverhaired man didn't say anything, he just stood there, offering silent comfort. And Iruka cried and cried, just because the world was just too unfair.

* * *

A/N: Err. I love Iruka. I just love the man. And I love Haku too. I felt like killing Kishimoto for killing Haku. Such a sweet boy, he was. Yeah. Nothing much to say about this chapter, bored me. I'm tired. And sorry for taking so much time before updating. 


	4. Chapter 3: Your Fault

Warnings for this chapter: OOCness on Sasuke's part (again) and weird dreams and Zabuza's horribly bad language. cough

Beware, everything about this chapter isn't what it seems to be.

And by the way, I'd like to give Iruka someone to love too, since KakaIru is indeed quite usual here and I'd like to do something else. Any suggestions, who? Deidara would be good but it would be quite weird too. Hmm. Dunno.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Here's an update to you.

* * *

It took another week for Naruto to finally return back to the hospital. The blond boy sniffed, dressed in bright orange jumper, black baggy-pants and a red scarf covering his still hurting throat, as he stepped inside, pushing the heavy doors open. He smiled brightly at Izumo and Kotetsu who walked by, stopped and smiled back at him.

"Where have you been, kid? Iruka's going crazy keeping our raven boy in his cell, ya know?" Izumo said and grinned when Naruto blinked owlishly at him.

"Huh? You mean the Uchiha?" Kotetsu grinned.

"Yeah, _him. _Little mister Red-eye has been freaking out ever since he found out you weren't coming." Naruto blinked again. _Huh? _Then he couldn't help but grin back at the two friends in front of him. _Soooo… the raven-haired boy had wanted to 'see' him?_ So it shall be then. Naruto thanked Izumo and Kotetsu and darted down the corridor, whistling as he went. But as he turned around the corner, the smile on his face faded. He heard a scream. Another. And a third and this lasted for so long that the one who was screaming, his voice almost cracked. Naruto started running towards the shouting and realized, frowning, that it was coming from the criminal yard. _Oh my…what if it is… _He turned around the corner and saw Iruka panicking in front of the last door of the corridor. In front of Sasuke's door.

"Uchiha-san, please calm down!" Iruka's voice sounded weak and tired, he hesitantly reached for the door to open it, but his warm brown eyes were quite scared. Of course he feared, Sasuke was _insane _and would probably hurt anyone who just dared to step inside the room. Naruto came closer and looked inside, his eyes widening. Sasuke stood in the middle of his room, rocking himself back and forth, raised his hands to his face and screamed again and again. Iruka sighed as he saw Naruto.

"For God's sake, where have you _been!" _The man frowned, but he was trembling. Naruto took the key to Sasuke's door from his hands and pushed it into the lock.

"Let me, sensei." Inside, Sasuke had stopped screaming, but he was sobbing and still scratching more bloody traces to his face. He obviously was in his own world and Naruto pitied him so much that it hurt. Iruka put his hand on his and squeezed.

"Naruto, I'm not sure –"

"Well, I am, sensei." Naruto said gently and smiled, before opening the door. The room was so dark and so small so Naruto couldn't actually see that clearly. Sasuke held his hands to his face and still was rocking back and forth, back and forth, his unseeing eyes staring into nothingness. Naruto rested his back against the door and waited for Sasuke to finally acknowledge his presence, if the mentally sick boy could…do that. Naruto didn't even notice his own sad smile on his face as he watched the other boy. He waited, when the blindfolded gaze rose and seemed to be staring right at him. Sasuke cocked his head a little, in a questioning way. Naruto nodded, although he knew Sasuke couldn't see it.

"Yeah, it's me." The blond couldn't help but be a little excited. In more closer ranch, Sasuke was so much shorter, barely reaching Naruto's nose. But the more sad thing was, that the boy was really, _really _skinny. You could actually almost see his ribs through the thin layers of the hospital gown. Handcuffs made a clanking sound as Sasuke reached his hands to his face again and clearly flinched when he felt warm blood.

"…Sasuke. Could I?" Naruto offered, speaking in a quiet tone, as if talking to a wounded, but dangerous animal. Well, Sasuke was wounded and dangerous…Naruto snorted. But Sasuke was _human. _Sasuke's hands lowered down, but he stepped back. Naruto pouted, but he stepped forward until he stood right in front of the raven boy, who just stared at him blindly, clearly not understanding what was going on. With a little hesitation, Naruto reached out his hand and touched the bloody cheek in one, gentle caress. One sigh escaped from between Sasuke's thin lips. That made Naruto smile sadly again. The other boy looked so fragile, especially with his skin being so white, reminding the sunny boy of a porcelain doll. _And so easily broken. _

"I pity you." Naruto said quietly and let his hand low down. Sasuke flinched again and stepped back again.

"…_no…" _One word escaped from him and Naruto's eyes widened.

"What?" At that same instant Sasuke's skinny arm rose and pointed straight at him.

"Go away." Raven haired boy had started to tremble furiously. This time, he fell to his knees and began tearing his beautiful hair.

"Uchi…no, Sasuke…" Naruto started but Sasuke shook his head again and again.

"Go away, you….leave me alone…leave me alone…_Ani…ki…" _Sasuke shivered, his voice was broken like one of a little lost child. Naruto blinked and felt kind of…awkward just standing there.

"Sasuke!" He said again, without not much of a response. _Aniki? Wait…aniki…big…big…big brother? _To his surprise and shock, Sasuke suddenly started screaming again, his voice thin and weak. And this time those pale, white fingers began to tear the blindfold away.

"It is you…_you! _Leave me alone…" Sasuke's voice lowered down to a growl.

"Just let…me…see!" He screamed again, his cold voice was now filled with impossibly strong hatred. Naruto started to panic. _God, _this boy was in so much pain and he suddenly didn't know what to do. He turned around to look at the little room, but saw that the door had faded into amazingly deep black night. He turned around again and as his blue eyes caught the sight of Sasuke's white face again, the eyes he met weren't black. But _red. _Eyes the color of deepest blood, three black spots spinning wildly around. Naruto gasped and stepped back, as Sasuke stepped forward, a low, animalistic growl emitting from his throat.

_Then everything went dark. _

Naruto woke up, panting, sweaty. And salty tears on his face. It took him a moment to realize that he was in his own bed and _still _feeling so sick. And all of _that _had been a…dream. Sasuke's soft but cold skin and that icy, but somehow sad and lonely voice. And those freaky red eyes…what the hell they meant, anyway? Naruto wasn't the one to believe in paranormal things or anything like that, but this was just…sounded too much like a warning. A warning that he really shouldn't go into Sasuke's room, who knew what that boy could do? But…_Jesus…_that was _fucking _scary. Naruto shook his head and put his head to his pillow again.

_No need to say, but Naruto didn't get to sleep anymore that night._

The next day, when he felt a little better, he hopped on his bike and cycled to Akai Tsuki, for that mental hospital had haunted his damn dreams even when he was awake, which wasn't nice. Not nice at all. Enough said, Naruto wasn't in a good mood as he put his bike near the parking lot where there were few other bikes. But the blond just walked inside the hospital, feeling slightly annoyed at everyone and everything today.

"Hey, brat!" _Speak of the devil. _Naruto heard a yell as he burst through the front doors. He turned and saw another blonde walking towards him.

"Baba." Naruto couldn't help but grin at the woman, who grinned back. Tsunade might have been the number one boss, but Naruto was nothing more but a lowlife youngster, as she liked to put it. They fought from time to time, but Tsunade still was delighted to see the boy who so much reminded her of her deceased brother, making life a little easier. And Naruto had grown to like her too, although calling her old hag. Also, what was the best thing about Tsunade, was, that she understood perfectly his sympathetic feelings towards Uchiha Sasuke.

"What's up today? Has anything…_exciting _happened here?" Naruto asked.

"Huh? Naah, not really. But the Uchiha kid…he freaks out almost every day, at everything and tries to rip the blindfold off and bang his head to the wall, gladly it's that soft material that most of mental hospitals use. We had to put a straight jacket on him, because even when it's Iruka, that kid totally looses his mind." Tsunade shrugged. Naruto sighed.

"Did he say anything weird? No, no, I'm just curious since Uchiha seems to be the only doing something interesting here." The blond smiled innocently – although the innocent look would have had more effect, if Naruto were about twenty centimetres shorter – and shrugged. Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"Well…if you can really call it _'saying.' _He more like, screamed a lot of things, especially about some other Uchihas…and mostly, about his notorious big brother, that how he still hates him. Sometimes Sasuke-kun sounds like he still believes that his big bro's alive and that he has to kill him._" _Tsunade cocked her head. Weird grin appeared on his face.

"No, Naruto, he didn't mention anything else." Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"_Ja ne!" _Tsunade patted his blonde locks, turned around and started to walk down the corridor. Naruto blinked, shook his head and decided to pay the Uchiha a little visit, but a little later.

Everything was so normal in the hospital, that Naruto wondered if anyone had even noticed his absence. That thought was wiped out entirely, when other almost-sane patients welcomed him, Kurenai patted his blonde hair and Izumo grinned. And Naruto felt happy, although he had to introduce himself two times to Sasori, who suffered from short-time memory loss and always forgot everything and everyone. Naruto helped Iruka and the others to feed the patients – the blonde was so glad to see Iruka smiling a little more than he had for the few weeks that Naruto had been there. The reason for that seemed to be Deidara, the absent-minded bomber whose misdoings seemed to amuse the gentle hearted Iruka more than anyone else. After everything ordinary was done, Naruto waved his goodbyes and trotted down the corridor and around the corner to the criminal yard, again. He didn't even think what in the world was the thing that pulled him there.

As he walked by Zabuza's door, he stopped suddenly and saw that the man indeed was staring at him with intense hatred in his eyes. Naruto couldn't help but think about that one, beautiful boy – Haku, was it – and how similar he suddenly felt that Haku and Zabuza were. He grinned and by that, made the frown in Zabuza's face grow.

"It's your fucking fault, kid." The murderer said, his rough hands clasping the bars on the little window of his doors. Naruto blinked.

"Huh? What is?"

"Don't you dare." Zabuza started and showed his frighteningly, slightly pointy teeth.

"None of us can sleep well these nights anymore, because that other damn brat keeps seeing his fucking pathetic nightmares, because _somebody _just has to come here every goddamned day to talk rubbish!" He snarled and Naruto blinked again. _Huh? _

"And… please do tell me, why do you think that is my fault, huh? I'm not an idiot. You are." Naruto snapped back, shook his head and made his way towards Sasuke's door before Zabuza could say something back. _Really…that one has really bad mouth._

But all his thoughts concerning Zabuza were moved away, as he arrived by the raven boy's door and sat down on the chair that Iruka had thoughtfully put there.

"Howdy." Naruto said in a rare, quiet – well, being quiet _was _rare to him – voice and leaned his back against the cold, hard stonewall.

"You know… I'm sorry I didn't come much earlier. I was sick, you know. Well…maybe you don't, but you do know. Or something." Naruto said and laughed a little. He could only hear soft rustling of the sheets in the small bed of the room.

"The flu can be a mean little thing sometimes. It has the worst timing ever. For the first day I felt so sick I could barely move, so I didn't. But then I got so hungry and I had to rise from my soft and sooo nice bed and get something to eat. I don't even have a roommate, damn. My last one moved away few months ago, he was surely a nice fellow, even though sometimes he got a little too friendly with me, if you get what I mean, Uchiha." Naruto felt nice. Just nice to tell somebody about his everyday life, somebody who listened – well, he _thought _Sasuke listened – and didn't mock him.

"And that reminds me…I have started a new hobby! Or… I will start it, as soon as I am in perfect health again. I mean, kickboxing. Hehe, I bet you're surprised! I don't really seem like a guy who'd do kickboxing, do I? But I like it, it's nice. Well, almost as nice as going to the gym and working out. I should show you sometimes how strong I am…Because I am too strong for anyone, haha." Naruto laughed a little.

"Nee, Sasuke? Have you ever eaten apple ice cream? I just tasted it yesterday, it was so good that I almost melted. Hell, I'm an average cook and ice cream is something I rarely get. I just love it, cooking and that ice cream…well, almost as much as I love ramen! Ramen's my all time favourite food. Everyone wonders how can I be so skinny and still eat so much. Well, I'm sporty as hell!" Naruto grinned to himself.

"You should taste my cooking sometimes. Kiba says it sucks, but what does that dog-lover know, too occupied with his new girlfriend and his dog. Oh, Kiba's one of my friends, almost a best one, I'd say…but I think still I'm a quite good cook, even though I can't cook so many things without help. Onigiri is certainly one, Iruka's made it few times for lunch here, it's so good. But okay, maybe not. Let's just enjoy the silence for now…I know you're surprised that I can be quiet, but yeah, I can." And Naruto fell silent and leaned more comfortably against the wall, staring at the opposite white wall without actually seeing it, floating in his own little world. And as he had said himself, he now enjoyed the silence that had first frightened him. And his mind slipped away.

And it was in that position that Iruka found him half and hour later. The pony tailed man smiled gently and didn't dare to wake the boy up, he just fetched a blanket and put it on Naruto, caressing his blonde hair. And then Iruka opened the door with a click and stepped inside. He wasn't scared, no, but something about Sasuke Uchiha made his heart grow nervous.

"Uchiha-san, it's me." Sasuke sat on his bed as usual, not even bothering to raise his blind eyes to the man. Iruka sighed, went closer and started to take off the straight jacket. He couldn't just bare to watch Sasuke in it anymore, too cruel for him. Too unfair. Sasuke just sat and sat and sat, not moving. Iruka took the cloth and watched the boy for a while, taking in the skinny – too skinny – form under the pearl-white hospital gown, bluish black hair falling down on the face too fragile to belong to the broken 17-year-old boy. Iruka shook his head, sighed again and stepped outside to the world, that was only few centimetres away from Sasuke Uchiha, the blindfolded boy, but still unreachable. Still so far.

* * *

Hahah. Gotcha! No, I'm not letting Naruto even inside Sasuke's room, not even in the near future, sorry. (Haha, it just makes me laugh every time I read a NaruSasu-fic with Sasuke being so much shorter...so I just had to make it a part of my own.)

And by the way, I may add Kimimaro here too. And as for the update…please, forgive me, I know I'm slow.

Kickboxing. Working out. That's what I like. Or would like to do. (Yeah, I had to delete this chapter and put it up again, weird. Gomen.)


	5. Chapter 4: You're Not Here

First, I want to thank all of you who reviewed. You really made my day and helped me to keep my motivation ( motivation, what is that…) up. And if you still wanna keep reading Don't Say A Word, then review, my dear friends, review!

Note: My friend helped me a lot during this chapter, so thank her too.

And as you wished, some of Sasuke's dark past will be revealed. But only a little. And one word of warning: Incest. In this chapter's flashbacks. (Because Itachi's an asshole and don't we all know it) You're bewared.

And btw, the song I was listening as I wrote this was _Room of Angel_ from Silent Hill 4. You should listen to it and the lyrics too. They remind me too much of Sasuke. That song is just so freaky.

* * *

_Darkness._

It had consumed everything, ever since that day when his previous life ended. The day that the happy little boy died inside of him – _he hoped that boy had died -, _leaving only emptiness, and traces of the love and other so strong emotions that it hurt to feel at all. So he had just…stopped feeling.

It had really been a long time since Sasuke had seen the light of the day.

When he had first been brought here, at the tender age of 14, he hadn't resisted at all. He knew so well that it wouldn't help, no, he had thought that this was his punishment for doing something like, _let's say, _killing his big brother? _His big brother…_the brother he had hated and loved, like any little brother should feel for their elder siblings.

_But only God knows how much that is._

Sasuke Uchiha had admired – and almost worshipped – the young enigma called Itachi Uchiha ever since they both had been just little kids. But, unfortunately – or fortunately, depending on the point of view – worshipping had turned into total, animalistic hating, when 11-year-old Sasuke came home only to find his dear, loving parents _hanged _from the ceiling. And Sasuke had screamed. The darkness in the house had seemed to swallow him, the lack of light almost choked him. And in that darkness, came Itachi. He had been so young then, too, not much older than his poor, poor little brother. But Itachi's soul had always been so much older than those of the others. He had always known things that little boys shouldn't have known.

Itachi had _smiled._

It hadn't been that nice, loving smile that he had always given to Sasuke before, _no, _this smile made poor little Uchiha fear for his life. Itachi had told him that he was indeed a fool for believing that the older Uchiha had ever held some sort of feelings for _anyone. _

"…_You are a fool, little brother. Such a pitiful, crying fool."_

That had been the first time Sasuke saw those blood red eyes, that promised death and those eyes also gave away something else, making Sasuke scream.

It had been so long, and still Sasuke was here, sitting on this little bed, with colors so white, so white thathe knew that he didn't deserve something so bright, not in his darkness, no. Because he saw nightmares so terrible, especially of this one night. _Yes, that night. _His brother's words haunted him still, even after all those long three years. Three years of this _hell. _Only God knows how much Sasuke hated Itachi, hated him with so much power, that he felt like ripping his own, dark heart from his chest for feeling too much.

_Damn that Itachi. Damn him. _May he burn in Hell, for the man certainly deserved it, in Sasuke's eyes, that is.

"_I feel so cold…" _Sasuke shivered. He closed his eyes, and opened them again. _Nothing. _

"So fucking cold…why did you that to me, Aniki? To the little boy who…who…loved you…to me, who still hates you…stop haunting me, just let me be." Sasuke curled in to a little ball in his bed, hiding his pitiful, pale face from the ugly world. He knew it wouldn't help him sleep, it never had did. Only then did Sasuke move, after almost and hour, that he heard steps outside of his door. Familiar footsteps. Too familiar. Footsteps that he had heard so many times, but had always ignored. Now he was trembling on his bed, that skinny, fragile body under the thin hospital gown.

Sasuke didn't like to speak, he hated the miserable way his voice always sounded. And that…_boy..._

"Hello, Uchiha." Said a clear voice and Sasuke closed his eyes again behind his blindfold. God, no. Not him…_not him!_

"It's me again." Inside, Sasuke raised his skinny hands and let them slide on his face, and to the cursed blindfold. He just…couldn't. He couldn't move his damn, stiff fingers to rip it off. Sometimes, he desired so much to see the light of the Sun again, to just be free. Even for a short moment…to be able to feel that he was sane and healthy. But no, fate had to be cruel again and again.

But he was scared. He could admit it, with so much ease that it almost amazed him. He was very scared, that if he revealed himself, said something to the boy behind his door…that he would be another person who hated him, who despised him and wanted him dead. So Sasuke stayed quiet, when Naruto started to blabber something again. Sasuke stayed quiet when his thoughts started to slide away.

He had always been such a proud young man, a prodigy…but his life had been so – and still was – as had his heart. Will there someday be something in his life again? Will there? The boy behind his door said something about a scarecrow and laughed at his own joke that Sasuke hadn't heard. He never actually even listened what the boy said, Naruto's pointless words just wormed their way into his head anyway. Sasuke felt suddenly like screaming again, when Naruto's loud voice started to change. And suddenly, there was that deep, dark laugh in his ears again, that voice that called him a fool.

"Get away from me…" Sasuke gripped his sheets and started to tremble. A low growl came from his mouth, between those thin, dry lips, no words, just a slow, animalistic cry. His slender hands moved, ripped at the sheets, making him want to just…get out.

"…Uchiha?" Naruto sounded scared. Sasuke couldn't control himself anymore, he didn't hear Naruto, he heard that bastard, that fucking bastard that he had once called a big brother. Sasuke felt so horrible, so animalistic, like a beast. And he opened his mouth and started to scream, his nails digging into his own flesh, making his blood flow. That hateful, dark, dirty blood. He wanted out. He wanted the memory of his brother, the memory of that filthy man's touch gone. Those long, pale fingers dirtying him, making him feel so sick. Hot, but at the same time so chilling cold breath against his skin and those red eyes, emotionless, blood covered with ice that could never be melted.

Sasuke screamed. He screamed until his voice became hoarse, he could barely breath. But still, anger burned inside of him, anger that was almost swallowing him alive.

"Let me go…" He begged and hated himself again for sounding like a pathetic cry baby little boy. Itachi's filthy scent still lingered on him and Sasuke felt ill.

"Uchiha-san?" It was Iruka again. Sasuke stopped screaming for a while and just breathed. _In…out…in…out._ He had never actually hated Iruka. Of course he had tried to strangle him too, yes, Sasuke had thought of him as an enemy too, but…not now, not anymore. But now Sasuke was in a state of mind that he couldn't even separate Iruka from Itachi, which was eating him alive. And then the panicked scream emitted from his throat again and Sasuke felt horrible.

"Uchiha-san! Please, stop it! You're hurting yourself!" Iruka shouted. He sounded concerned, as always. And the gentle man started to panic, Sasuke could hear it. Does he really care? The Uchiha thought in his chaotic mind, snarling at himself, hating this, hating his own life. He crawled over his bed and started to bang his head to the wall, but suddenly yelled, frustrated, because nothing happened. The wall was that strange, soft material they used for those sick mental patients, like him. Sasuke started to scratch the wall.

"…Itachi…"

Sasuke didn't even hear Iruka's shocked voice anymore. He didn't feel tears on his own face, those frustrated tears of anger. Itachi may be dead but the memory of him was still very much alive, no matter how much Sasuke wanted it to be gone. The poor boy wasn't sure if he was dreaming or awake. It had been years and years, but he still felt the red gaze on him, thin lips curving into a smile that wasn't really a smile, but just a weird, scary twist of those lips pressing against his own. Sasuke remembered that night so clearly; the memory of it had been burned into his messy mind.

He had fought so hard, he had kicked and punched and screamed, but Itachi had only laughed his creepy laugh at his little brother's desperate attempts to get himself free.

_"A fool…that you are. Let me taste you, little brother…my…foolish…little…brother…you are...so...warm."_ Sasuke had shivered, when those cold hands had touched him for the first time. He had been only able to cry, just cry and Itachi had laughed, _again,_ all the time. Sasuke had hated his laughing, cried desperately and scratched his Aniki's pale arms, without even a result. And Sasuke had totally known that he had lost the fragile fight…

His big brother's smile had never reached his eyes; black and chilling cold like the night sky. Soon, the darkness of them had been overcome by pure, deep blood and then, all Sasuke could remember was Itachi's long, long fingers, like white spiders…touching him, making him one with the man he didn't want to love anymore, like he had as a little boy. Sasuke screamed again. Suddenly Itachi was there, right there with him and Sasuke was a little boy again, just a poor little boy with nowhere to go.

_"Aniki!_ Let…go!"

_"No, no…not now…not now, otoouto. No...never ever again."_

Tears flowed freely down Sasuke's bloody cheeks, his nails now making new wounds on his hateful pretty face. _Let me go, already!_

Even Iruka was too scared to come in, as Sasuke took his hands from his face and fell to the floor from the bed, to the cold hard metal floor. He froze for a moment, skinny shoulders shaking, until he started to hit his hands repeatedly to the floor, and then his forehead, until it bled.

_Get away from me!_

"…Sasuke-kun?" Running footsteps burst into his dizzy mind. Hah. He felt blood on his lips, as he slipped away into the darkness, again. The door opened and revealed Tsunade and Iruka and the only thing they saw was an unconscious raven-haired boy on the floor, bleeding from various places.

A week later the hot, hot summer was finally coming to its end and Naruto visited Akai Tsuki only two times that week. His part time job had ended and he was getting ready for school. Sasuke was still unconscious; he had been isolated from all the others and moved in an even smaller room than the others, a room with those sterile white walls and floor. Naruto didn't see him anymore that summer. He had argued about that with Iruka so much that week.

"It's for your own good, Naruto! We don't know if he's gonna freak out like he did only a week ago!"

"But he's been unconscious ever since then! Why can't I even see him?" Naruto raised his voice, not understanding the reason, not at all. Or should we say, not bothering to understand it. Iruka sighed and put his hands on Naruto's shoulders. He felt so tired.

"Please, calm down, Naruto. Because…we don't know when he's going to wake up. We don't know what the boy's probably been through, other than that terrible mass murder! We don't know…if that elder…Uchiha did something to him." Iruka looked like was about to cry. He just…couldn't bare it anymore. Naruto felt his pitiful anger slide away like it had never even existed. He shrugged.

"…Okay."

"Naruto, I'm so sorry!" Iruka managed to look like a kicked puppy and Naruto felt bad for actually even starting to yell at the man. Blonde smiled and patted the man's back.

"Yeah, yeah, don't fret, man. I'm not even sure…if I can control myself as well, so maybe…not. I've got to go. See ya." Maybe Naruto had smiled and waved goodbye to Iruka, but as the blonde left the building, his usually so happy face had been grim.

Black eyes blinked. _Darkness._ Blink. _Darkness…again_.

"What…?"

_It was so cold._

"Where am I?" His mind was spinning around like a group of wild horses, without knowing where to go. And then…came the throbbing pain in his head.

_"Ouch."_ He couldn't see a thing. Sure. _The blindfold. Fuck._ Silence, he thought, it was slowly killing him. He tried to rise, but the pain in his head was even harder.

"You're awake." Said a voice and Sasuke froze.

"Who?" Sasuke murmured. His voice was barely a whisper.

"I-It's me…Iruka." Sasuke turned his head and tried to raise hid hand, but it felt so heavy.

"Don't try to move, please." Iruka's worried voice floated to his ears. Sasuke's head hurt like hell.

"W-w…wher…e?" Sasuke managed to say. Even breathing hurt like hell.

"The restriction room. You…you…tried to…do…that…again." Iruka almost sobbed and Sasuke could imagine how Iruka raised his tanned hands to his face and wiped away the tears that had formed. Sasuke's own insides turned upside down by Iruka's words. That counts as the fifth…no, wait…sixth time he had tried to kill himself during those three years of staying here._ The sixth!_ He felt sick and his skin felt like it was burning. Warm hand was boldly placed on his forehead.

"You have a terrible fever. You need to rest." Iruka said sternly.

"…that…boy…whatever…h-his name…is…_say_…"

"Huh?" Iruka sounded even more worried.

"He…annoys me…I always…f-forget his presence…he…reminds me too much of myself…w-whe..n…I was…still…_innocent."_ He knew his eyes were open but he couldn't see. He felt tired and sick and lonely and irritated, because thinking even a little about that annoyingly bright happy boy whose name he couldn't even remember…that had brought Itachi to his mind. Again. And that was the one thing that Sasuke didn't need. Sasuke didn't want to speak anymore, for he feared that his voice would break.

"Oh…okay. Well, he'll be busy with his school so he won't be coming so often to talk to you." Iruka stopped, as if waiting for Sasuke to say something, but the raven haired boy remained silent. Iruka smiled, but sadly the smile didn't reach his warm, brown eyes, although the young boy couldn't see it.

"This is for your own good, boy…please, understand. Don't hurt yourself anymore. It makes us all feel…insignificant…_miserable."_ Iruka, being the gentle-hearted man he was, sighed and touched his patient's soft black locks before he slid away and with a click he locked the door. Sasuke only stared blindly in front of him.

_"Don't hurt yourself…huh."_

He felt…_empty._

After two weeks, Naruto stepped inside Akai Tsuki again, looking dead-tired, clearly needing rest, but he seemed to be determined enough to go to the criminal yard. Iruka was absent, only Izumo and Kurenai were there that day and they just smiled at the sunny boy as he turned at the corridor, eager to see if something different had happened. He just couldn't say to himself that everything was as it had been, the dark room, the dark boy with chaos in his mind...

_Somewhere, white fingers made their way at the almost transparent skin, showing off the blue veins, white bones. Someone hummed lightly, gently._

_"…Bones…such...beauty..."_

Naruto whistled some random song as he made his way beside the other cells. Kisame's cold, dead eyes stared at him, Zabuza didn't say anything either, but he looked at the sunny with intense hatred in his eyes. Naruto didn't even notice those, he walked towards Sasuke's room, for the boy had been moved back there only a week ago, as Iruka had gently noted when he had called him. Naruto felt even better; maybe Sasuke was finally getting a little better?

_"Bones…such pretty bones…" Fingers went on their way and circled around dirty, white hair until reaching soft, deadly white skin.Soft laugh came from between thin lips_.

Naruto was almost at Sasuke's door, when he heard a voice.

"You must be…oh well, I don't know." Blondie frowned and was a little bit startled to see emotionless eyes staring back at him from the room opposite to Sasuke's. Poisonous green, piercing through Naruto's inner walls. And suddenly, the tall blonde felt scared. But he stepped forward, anyway.

"Who are you?" The man in the other room had white hair. Startlingly white hair, as Naruto noticed. And suddenly the lamp on the ceiling flashed. Twice.Naruto flinched visibly. Those green eyes never left his face and the blonde felt a little awkward.

"Who…am I?" Said the apathetic voice. Green eyes didn't even blink. The man raised his hand and Naruto's eyes widened. The man's hand was really, really skinny and with so many scars that Naruto was almost sure that he saw white bone through the thin skin.

_"Am I really here, Orochimaru-sama?_ And what is _'here'?"_ The man asked, seemingly forgetting Naruto's presence. _Orochi…maru?_ Naruto raised his eyebrows and went closer.

"Yes, yes…your very own…darling…beloved…Kimimaro-kun…has behaved very well." The man whispered quietly.Naruto blinked. Kimimaro smiled a little, showing his thin frame and his surprisingly white teeth.

"I know, Orochimaru-sama…I know…It was nice, _really nice_…" Kimimaro laughed with a low, creepy voice and Naruto felt suddenly nasty. Especially when he saw Kimimaro's too thin fingers starting to stroke his other arm, lovingly. And then Naruto saw the…thing…on Kimimaro's other hand. It was a bone. Clearly…a human bone, sharpened to look like a blade. And with a growing creepiness, Naruto saw dark stains on it. Like blood.

He didn't see the hand that tried to reach him behind those bars. Kimimaro's poisonous green eyes gleamed behind the door.

"You have…such…beautiful…bones, boy...so does that...other_...rrrraven."_ Naruto's only thought was something bordering as 'eww' as he backed a few steps, and feeling his back hit Sasuke's door. The whitehaired man's voice purred the words softly, dangerously.

"Err…no…thanks." But Kimimaro didn't seem to hear him, he was talking to himself again…or more truthfully said, talking to _Sasuke._

"I read about you when I was free, you poor, poor boy. But it was nice, you can't say that…_wasn't it, Orochimaru-sama?_ Yes, I thought so too. I love you so much…so, so much..." Naruto raised his eyebrows. He didn't know if he should pity the man or be extremely disgusted.

_"Sassssukeee…"_ Kimimaro hissed and Naruto saw that those poisonous eyes were fixed on the small window on Sasuke's door.

"He's still there….right there…doing that…again. Doesn't it feel great?"

"S-Shut up…" There was two, cold words and Naruto turned around only to find Sasuke standing in the middle of his room, turning his head around and around, like trying to find an escape.

"Such beautiful bones…he knows, Sasuke…he knows. Love, love,_ love_…yes…oh yes, certainly. Didn't it feel so great, Sasuke? Did it, huh, _huh! _Let him do _it _again...he likes it._"_ Kimimaro raised his voice suddenly, but its apathetic tone never disappeared. Sasuke backed down, Naruto saw.

"I d-d-don't…care…"

"You do! Rip your heart out, blood, blood, such sweet blood…funny. You are so funny, _Orochimaru-sama_…yes, don't be angry with me, Master…" Naruto sidestepped a little away from those doors. This was just…weird.

"Your bones, yes. I want them…such beautiful bones, yes Master…I know…time runs, oh, it runs …_Hahah_…Lick that blood away, _little brother,_ lick it…from that white, white pure skin…yes…do you remember _his_ name?"

Naruto shook his head. He couldn't stand here anymore. So the blonde turned and ran up the corridor.

And just when he was far away, he heard Sasuke scream.

* * *

Hahahah. I'm soooooo tired…

-.-

(I am so cruel to Sasuke..)


	6. Chapter 5: My Pain, Your Thrill

Thank you for the reviews. And if you still wonder why the hell I am so cruel to Sasuke even though I said I like him as a character…well, he's been such a shitty face in the latest chapters so he deserves some kicks in his pretty ass.

I'm depressed, tired and feel like crying now so I hope some of those feelings will kind of… filter through Sasuke's behaviour and the things on this chapter. (Yeah, I know I'm a teenage angstangst and all that shit.)

And I hope you'll enjoy this as much as you've hopefully been enjoying the other chapters. Thank you, again, you've made my day.

(_Warnings: Even more incest-hints (Let's mass murder Itachi) and Sasuke being the OOC little boy he is. (And don't kill me for grammar mistakes, I'm not perfect.)_

And by the way, these lyrics are from the song I mentioned before, _Room of Angel, _from Silent Hill 4. It just fits.

* * *

_"It was always you that I despised…_

_I don't feel enough for you to cry, oh well…"_

Soft voice floated through the empty corridor, it slid its way to the other rooms, especially to the one opposite from where the voice came from. The voice, those cruel, _such cruel words, _caressed the ears and the pale cheeks of the poor, broken raven-haired boy in that dark room. The boy who winced in his sleep. It was indeed _Kimimaro, _who sang and he sang quietly, apathetic tone never leaving his voice, poisonous green eyes staring at the neutral white ceiling. If an outsider now looked inside, that said wanderer couldn't be so sure if that white-haired man – not even a man and not exactly a boy anymore, _no – _actually realized that he was the one singing. Those words, telling of murder and betrayal slithered from between his lips, making slight fear grow inside of those who heard it.

Kimimaro's voice was the only sound in the half-empty hospital. It was almost midnight and Sasuke was dreaming about his notorious big brother _again._

"…_Here's a lullaby to close your eyes…" _

Sasuke flinched, even while sleeping, when Kimimaro's monotonous sentences dug their way even through his own chaotic, deep dreams.

"_Niisan…" _Oh, that little boy was there again. Again, in the middle of his dreams – _no, nightmares – _with messy black hair and equally black eyes, with a glance so innocent it _hurt _to see that little boy, that boy that _he _had once been. And Kimimaro, yes, _he knew, _and that's why he was there too, in Sasuke's dreams, singing that dreadful song and making the poor boy tremble on his white bed.

"So sleep in your memory of me…" 

Sasuke flinched again and a choked sob escaped his dry lips. Kimimaro smiled his white, empty smile and raised his anorexic hands above his head and watched them with great admiration.

"Say, Sasuke…do you…_love_ your _brother?_ Did you enjoy _it?" _Kimimaro started to giggle. And no, it wasn't a nice sound, not at all. There were no emotions in the _poisonous green, _no warm feelings – no, not in _those _eyes – for anyone. Kimimaro had certainly lost those a very long time ago.

"I could do it again and _again and again to you…_oh yes, I could…so good, it felt, _yes…"_

'_Scream for me, little brother.'_

Sasuke's panicked scream echoed through the criminal ward.

The raven-haired boy sat on his bed and wiped his face clean from all the tears and the sweat. For a while, he couldn't remember where he was, or who he was. One may wonder had Itachi Uchiha really known what he did to his little brother, had he? Because now Sasuke Uchiha was _broken, _nothing but a fragile porcelain doll someone had decided to throw away after they got bored with the doll. If someone perhaps cracked that doll's skin, what would happen?

It wasn't even needed to say that Sasuke couldn't sleep anymore that night. No, he cried, he cried for the life he had once lived, for the life he had lost, for _this, _this _miserable _existence surely wasn't a life, but a strange dreamlike place where he didn't know what was real and what was just a dream, just a hallucination created my his own mind.

Kimimaro had stopped singing and was now just laying on his bed, that dreadfully thin, white figure, his nearly transparent skin showing his slender bones. The strange young man stroked his own arms with his oddly shaped bony knife, green eyes glowing in the dark as he watched _blood _flow, when the edge of the knife cut wounds on his arms. Soft chuckle came from between his lips.

"Yes, Master…_he _broke him very well, yes, very well indeed…" And his chuckling turned into loud laughing and Sasuke started to cry again, tears of frustrated anger and sadness flowing freely. He wasn't even trying to resist, he just wanted Itachi to be gone, _gone for sure, _lost for eternity from the mortal eyes and ears and minds.

'_And that very same night, he was taken by Itachi…again.'_

* * *

"Sasuke? Where are you?"

Black-haired little boy ran through the mist circling around a big, very traditionally built Japanese house.

"Mother!" The little boy yelled, big deep black eyes shining with pure innocence. He was searching for somebody.

"Mother!" He yelled again. Finally, a moment later, a very elegant woman stepped into the scenery, almost right in front of the little boy. He ran to her – he couldn't be more than eleven – and wrapped his small arms around her slender waist. She smiled gently and brushed her son's black hair from his pale face, after he had let go and she had kneeled in front of him.

"What is it, Sasuke?" The boy grinned and reached out his hand, in which he was holding a beautiful, single dark blue rose.

"For you, mother!" Mikoto Uchiha, the ordinary housewife, smiled, took the flower, and then she stood and took her younger son's hand with her own, petite hand. And then she started to walk back inside the house, listening when little Sasuke blabbered on and on.

_Startlingly bright blue eyes were watching all this with mixed feelings._

Inside the house, Sasuke finally spotted – he had barely taken his sandals off – a taller, darkeyed boy with a black hair on a ponytail and ran to him, wrapping his white arms around the taller one, like he had did to his mother just a moment ago.

"Niisan!" Itachi's lips twisted a little and finally formed a small smile. He reached out one hand and patted the top of his little brother's head.

"Good day to you, Sasuke." For a 16-year-old, Itachi Uchiha had a surprisingly deep voice. Sasuke just smiled at his big brother and then disappeared into the house.

Naruto, who hadn't got a clue if he was really dreaming or seeing an image of the past, blinked and took his time to study the elder brother Uchiha. Long, black hair – with a greyish tone to it – on a ponytail, two lines going down on his cheeks, making him look a lot older – and more tired – than a boy that age should be. Black eyes were purely expressionless, even though his lips were smiling at that moment. Naruto felt a cold shiver. Even though little Sasuke hadn't seem to notice.

Had Itachi already planned to hang his parents that day? No, maybe earlier? Later? And was it…_really…_a homicidal glint that Naruto saw in those empty eyes? He wasn't sure, he couldn't be sure. But he was certain about one thing…and that was that he wanted to just hug that little, innocent child who now walked after his brother and blabbered about what he had done that day. Itachi only smiled and nodded for a few times, his smile never leaving his face. Sasuke seemed to be happy with just that.

And then, scenery changed completely and Naruto realized that he was standing on…nothing. He looked around but didn't see a thing, _nothing, _and began to be a little concerned.

"What the fuck?" He managed to say aloud, before noticing the strange grey mist circling around his ankles.

"Huh?" And then he blinked and remembered whom he was supposed to be looking.

"Sasuke?" Only silence answered.

"Sasuke!" He tried again.

"_Niisan…" _Naruto heard a weak voice. He turned around, but saw nothing.

"Sasuke! Where are you!"

"_N-no…don't…h-hurt me…" _

Naruto turned around again, frowning. Blue eyes were wide with concern. It sounded like…Sasuke was in one hell of a big danger.

"Sasuke!" He yelled again. Where on Earth was that boy? _No, this wasn't real,_ the sane part of his brain said, that one clad in white robe and a halo hanging on top of his head. Naruto pouted. This wasn't funny.

"_Niisan! No…no! __Not there…no…"_

Sasuke whimpered somewhere far, sounding so scared. Naruto didn't know what to think. What was that empty-eyed young man doing to Sasuke? No, the blonde boy wasn't stupid, but _this…_was one thing he just didn't want to believe.

"_Niisan!"_

Now all he could hear was the quiet sobbing when Sasuke had stopped resisting, and the soft murmuring of the cold voice that belonged to no other than Itachi Uchiha.

Naruto was horrified.

Was this real? Had this really happened?

Naruto woke up finally, Sasuke's never ending screaming in his ears.

'_Jesus…what had that boy been through…' _He rolled around in his bed and thought about it for a while, frowning, biting his lip and sighing. He had to go see Sasuke tomorrow, he just had to. He felt familiar burning in his eyes, for the happy face of the raven-haired little boy had been burned into his mind.

The next day Naruto decided to skip school, for he was very anxious to see Sasuke, _was that empty, fragile shell really all that was left?_ So Naruto made his buddy Kiba say that he was sick – Kiba unwillingly agreed – to the teachers as he himself hopped on his bike and cycled to Akai Tsuki. He greeted Iruka only briefly – he waved back and continued talking to Deidara, who absentmindedly answered. Naruto smiled at them and walked around the corner, opening the door to the criminal ward. First thing he noticed, was the silent singing. He walked forward, a little curious.

"_I don't feel enough for you to cry…to cry…"_

Naruto stopped in front of Kimimaro's room. Green-eyed man stood in the middle of it, the light coming from the tiny window illuminating around his skeleton-like form. And Kimimaro sang in a surprisingly soft voice, sad song about darkness and murder. Naruto watched him for a while, slightly entranced by the pure strangeness of it, until a quiet sob from Sasuke's room made him turn around and forget Kimimaro instantly.

"Sasuke…" Naruto started and looked inside. The other boy was on his bed, curled into a little ball and looking even more fragile than ever. Naruto frowned and closed his eyes for a while, Kimimaro's quiet humming – he seemed not to realize himself that he had just stopped singing – somehow calming him.

"Sasuke…you know…I saw a dream about you." Naruto said suddenly and opened his eyes again, sitting down.

"You were… so little back then." He continued in a small voice, actually not even knowing if he should be sitting here right now, speaking of things that Sasuke would never be interested in, maybe not even listening. But he continued anyway. Sasuke didn't move, nor did he answer. Naruto hadn't even waited him to, he had already gotten used to the silence.

"I was a little sad to see how happy you were, like there were no worries at all. And yeah…I…saw _him _too, in my dream. I wonder why…I've never seen him before or anything…

"…I killed…that…o-one…" Naruto heard a strangled, chilling cold voice and froze. He stood up and looked inside the room. Sasuke was now standing, handcuffed hands around his skinny form. Naruto bit his lip at the sight and lowered his gaze to the floor.

"Yeah…I know you did. I sure do…"

"_Mother…you don't know how it feels…" _Now, the cold voice started to tremble, to be less cold. Naruto didn't move, just listened.

"I'm sorry…" Sasuke sighed. Naruto saw him shiver and felt the sudden urge to comfort the other boy. Concerned blue eyes stared at the mental patient for a while before Sasuke started speaking again.

"Mother…I am sorry…so sorry…that I…I couldn't…p-protect…you." Sasuke hid his face behind his hands and tried to pull the blindfold off. It wouldn't even move, it seemed like there was absolutely no strength in Sasuke's thin, thin arms. Naruto saw something glistening on the pale cheeks.

"Sasuke…I'm sure your mom was a very nice lady, she would never blame you for anything –"

"You don't understand!" Sasuke cried suddenly in a hoarse voice and held his hands to his ears.

"Mother…_Niisan…_father…I'm sorry…I killed you all…" Sasuke's mind jumped back to the past and he drowned himself in his darkness again, circled his arms around him and started to rock back and forth, mumbling something all the time.

"Sasuke! Why are you blaming yourself? Just shut it and listen to me for a while, please!" Naruto sounded frustrated. It took him a moment to realize that Sasuke had actually listened and stopped mumbling to himself and stood now absolutely still. Naruto sighed. He felt a little angry, of course, but sad too.

"You shouldn't do that, Sasuke…I mean, blame yourself. It wasn't your fault…your bro did what he did, you can't help it, you can't do anything about it anymore. It. Was. Not. Your. Fault, you hear me?" Sasuke lowered his gaze and Naruto saw him biting his lower lip.

"Where did that happy little boy go, huh?" Naruto asked gently, he wanted an aswer, for sure, from that broken boy - he was coming to understand – that he wanted to fix. Sasuke was silent for a long time, before he finally opened his shivering lips and spoke, voice so distant:

"…That boy is dead."

"No he isn't!" Naruto protested. This empty shell couldn't be all…all that was left of that proud and happy little boy so long time ago.

"Yes…I killed him…myself." Sasuke's voice was impassive, but Naruto saw him shiver again.

"_Mother…it's so hard…_I could be pure…_he _would be gone…I wouldn't be blind like I am now…_Mother… I am hurting…_I killed myself, killed my own spirit…_I'm sorry…" _Naruto frowned at that.

"Sasuke! It is possible!" He suddenly yelled, sounding so angry. Kimimaro giggled behind his back and said something about mad people. Naruto didn't listen to him, no, he wanted Sasuke to actually understand what he was saying, if it was possible. Some kind of connection, he wanted between them, that's for sure.

"Sasuke, you have to listen to me. Life is everyone's right, yours too! I feel so… _bad_ for you, you know…I…" Naruto paused for a while.

"I want to help you." Because Naruto was just…Naruto. And seeing someone like Sasuke just accepting his horrifying fate irritated him more than he even showed outside. Had irritated all the summer, even through his sympathetic and sad feelings.

"_Ssshh…_be quiet, you moron…" Sasuke whimpered, holding his hands to his ears again. And the started shouting again.

"You don't understand! How could you, you who always come here, bothering us, bothering our problems!" Naruto was silent and just watched the raven-haired with sadness in his bright blue eyes.

"What can you…" Sasuke whispered and trembled.

"You don't see what I see…_Mother…_tell him…tell him to go away…" He cried and got into one of his mad rampages, this time barging to the door. Naruto flinched, but didn't move.

"Sasuke…" He started, but the other boy hissed – like an angry cat – and tried to push his other handcuffed hand through the bars, but the short chain prevented it. On a whim, Naruto raised his hand and grabbed those skinny fingers before they backed off into the darkness of the room. At that instant, both boys froze to the spot.

Naruto didn't know what to think. Sasuke's hand was very cold and a little smaller than his own. For a while Naruto just kept his light grip, before Sasuke started to shake.

"A-A-Aniki…no…_no!" _The boy whimpered, sounding like a lost child with no place to go. Naruto's blue eyes widened. Was Sasuke…? Did the other boy think that he was _that man, _who had…had done _that to Sasuke? _Before he could think anymore, Sasuke screamed, pulled back his hand and retreated to the farthest corner of his room, putting his chained hands around his own body.

Naruto bit his lip again and couldn't help but feel disappointment. Sasuke had _finally _spoken to him and he just had had to ruin it by simply touching the other boy. Naruto sighed. He felt quite miserable. He turned and put his hands into his pockets.

"Well then…bye, Sasuke." He walked away from the ward and decided to go see Iruka before he went back. He felt tired and the bitter taste of disappointment would never – or, he feared so – be gone from his mouth. When he reached the lunchroom, he saw only Iruka and Deidara, who was doodling something on a paper like a excited little boy. Naruto managed to grin at the sight of the other blonde.

"Iruka-sensei?" Naruto said carefully. Iruka, who was sitting, smiled when he was Naruto.

"How are you, Naruto-kun? I heard a yell, but Deidara-kun was keeping me busy, so…"

"Don't fret, sensei. I just…" Naruto hesitated.

"Well…I kind of…grabbed _his _hand and he freaked out because of that." The blondie pouted. Even Deidara looked up and stared at the other with his one visible eye. Naruto looked at him and then back at Iruka, who frowned.

"Naruto-kun, I told you…he doesn't like it when people touch him…"

"But he spoke to me!"

"What?" Iruka looked a little startled. Naruto grinned.

"Yeah, well…not actually _sane _things, but he spoke anyway so it's good. I think he thought I was his mom for a while and then he thought that I was his…you know…_big brother. _But then he noticed that it was just me, he started yelling that I don't understand him and all that other stuff. But…" Naruto looked a little irritated now.

"But I do understand." He finally said. And his blue eyes were so _bright, _so full of melancholic anger that even Iruka flinched.

"I understand him very well. But…now I've gotta go. Good day to you, sensei. And to you too, Dei-chan." Naruto bowed, grinned at even Deidara, who blinked owlishly before grinning back.- even without the stupid nickname - Naruto turned around, put his hands into his pockets.

The atmosphere was getting on his nerves, he couldn't bare with it anymore.

* * *

It's quite late and I should be at bed. I'm a stupid woman. Rawwrr. Review, people, review!


	7. Chapter 6: Room of Angel

**To VeiledLantern: **You have NO ABSOLUTE FUCKING IDEA how HAPPY you made me. Thank you so much for your gorgeous fanart! I especially loved the first picture with Sasuke so insane. Love it. 3 I hope you don't mind if I put that link to those pictures for the next chappie or something?

Thank you for your reviews, I adore each and every one of them!

Yeah, and don't worry, I'm in a better mood than I was when I wrote the fifth chapter. A lot better, so you don't have to worry about me being too depressed or something like that. Expect for the fact that I was sick almost all the time in the last week of school. But yeah, it ended now. Never ever have to endure comprehensive school. Never. I'm so glad.

Disclaimer: I still don't own _Naruto_ and I still don't own the song _Room of Angel. _Sadly.

And in the beginning, is a little bit of humour for you. God knows this story is far from comical.

And by the way, I am really really really sorry I haven't updated for a long time. Everytime I sat down and said to myself: 'Now girl, now you're going to write that damn 6th chapter!' and BANG. Nothing. I can't make the text come, it comes only naturally. So this is what you would call a writer's block.

* * *

Loud snoring echoed in the small room, which contained only a spacious living room – if you could call it that – with a large couch, covered by a giant American flag, opposite to it was a television on a small table, under it was a DVD-player and few movies and games. Other than that, the living room was actually quite empty. There was a door leading to bedroom, other door – this time hanging open – leading to bathroom and one doorframe leading to a closet…err, _kitchen._ It wasn't a big place, no, and one of the few rooms that actually contained only one inhabitant. And that said inhabitant was now lying on the couch. Snoring very, very loudly. This young man's other long leg was hanging over the edge of the couch, his other hand was on his bare chest – on his stomach was a strange black spiral tattoo - and the other behind his neck. His long blonde hair was tangled and hid half of his quite handsome features. If some outsider had come in right at that moment – and if that outsider had been a girl – she would have surely been as red as tomato when the sight of how the boy was dressed would have reached her poor eyes. Naruto wore only his old jeans with worn-out knees, the other pant leg almost ripped out. But that wasn't the only thing, It seemed our dear young mister Uzumaki hadn't even tried to close his zipper, which was only half-closed. Revealing actually quite nothing, but just a bit enough for the poor outsider girl to blush madly.

Gladly there weren't any girls around that day.

Naruto raised his other hand and accidentally let it slide to the floor from behind his neck in one swift movement. Silly smile was playing on the boy's lips and he muttered something weird in his sleep, turned around so his back was turned to the poor television. But not long did the blonde boy snore, when there was knock on the door. Naruto flinched, but didn't wake up. That someone on the door knocked again. And after a short moment, that certain someone started pounding on the door. And this time there was a yell too:

"Naruto! Dude, you're awake, you idiot!" Deep-sleeper Naruto took his moment, before he started to rise from the couch – only to fall to the floor with a huge _thump._

"Dammit, Kiba! Can't a boy get his beauty sleep these days anymore!" The blonde yelled angrily and held back a yawn. Kiba stopped his pounding and Naruto could almost hear the dog-lover holding back his laughter.

"Just open the door, man." Naruto sighed and got up and went to the door, dragging his feet.

"Whazzit, Doggie boy?" He yawned again and rubbed his tired eyes. Kiba looked at his taller friend and grinned, revealing his slightly pointy teeth. The two red, fang-like marks on his both cheeks made him look quite like his dog, Akamaru – a really big, white dog – which was kind of an funny thing. What was even funnier was the fact that most of the girls seemed to adore Kiba. Well, Naruto thought it was funny. He blinked and leaned to the doorframe.

"Put some clothes on, you fox lover." Kiba said and poked Naruto's bare chest.

"You know how some of those…girls can get." The blonde sighed.

"Hai hai…_mother._" He said mockingly and earned a slight punch to his chest from Kiba. Naruto grinned, turned around and started to look for his shirt and pulling up his trousers properly. He found a shirt and pulled it on. And it just happened to be long-sleeved shirt with the words _"Come To Daddy" _on the front. Kiba rolled his eyes.

"Just come, now! Hyuuga's in trouble without us there! That project was supposed to be given to Yuuhi-sensei today!" Naruto shrugged and followed Kiba to the corridor, not bothering to lock the door after him. Well, he didn't actually have anything to steal, so what's the point.

Kiba rolled his eyes at this friend again, but then he laughed and led the taller boy to the other almost equally tall boy. In a little hurry, of course. The genius student Neji Hyuuga could be _scary _when he was angry. And he always was very angry when someone was late.

It was a miracle when nobody didn't wake up, when the giggling Kimimaro started to sing again. He'd been doing that every night. That same, creepy song about memories and murder and death.

"You lie…there, silent before me…" 

The white haired man walked around his room – did he ever actually even sleep, nobody knew – and giggled from time to time like an overjoyed little boy, that he indeed was. Green eyes were half-closed as they gazed around the little room, and finally Kimimaro stopped in front of his door. He stared right to the opposite, rusty door with bars on its little window.

"_Sassssukeee…was it fun? Did that boy really really, reaaaally touch you?" _He hissed in a low voice, like calling for the other young man to _come, mocking him._ And when he heard a soft sob, he started to laugh, before starting to sing again.

"Here's a lullaby to close your eyes, goodbye… It was always you that I despised…" 

Kimimaro laughed. Such fun! And he dreamed that _his Master _was there again and for a while Kimimaro didn't remember where he was, who he was and what was he doing here. That he had been the one to…_never mind. _

"_Perhaps you're happy without me…"_

There was someone else who didn't sleep that night, either. Yes, even the shark-like Kisame was snoring lightly in his room, blue skin glowing. Zabuza was having a dream about killing, he grinned devilishly in his sleep. Until his dreams were invaded by one certain boy with long, long black hair…yes, they were indeed in a deep sleep, they couldn't hear that terrible song, those terrible words. The other one who wasn't sleeping was Sasuke, in his cold room, alone. Clock ticked somewhere near two at the morning, but no, the black haired poor boy didn't sleep, he couldn't. He sat on the edge of his bed, handcuffed hands around his skinny form, blind gaze towards the floor. _'Stop it…please, stop it…I don't want to hear it anymore…Mother…where are you?'_

"_So sleep in your memory of me… my dearest Mother…"_

Kimimaro sighed softly and smiled, like he _knew _what those words meant to the raven-haired boy opposite to him. Really, nothing.

"_Goodbye…" _Sasuke whimpered and tried to cover his ears from the sound. Tears were again on his cheeks, falling down from those dark eyes hidden behind the dusty blindfold. Although they were as soft like the wind that perhaps blew even now on the outside, but still, those horrifying words wormed their way into Sasuke's heart, like big, nasty slugs, wrapping around his insides and staying there, reminding him of everything he wanted to forget. His heart ached _(did he even have a heart?), _his head was burning _(was it the strange fire in him?) _and he didn't know what to do. He stumbled away from the bed and to the floor in all-fours. His whole body shook. He stood up – his knees felt wobbly – and thin fingers grabbed the soft wall, reminding him so clearly where he was, or who he was. No, he didn't remember clearly anymore what this room looked like, when he had first been brought here. With it's white, old walls, rusty metal bed with its soft insides, like a big beetle. A big bug which swallowed the poor boy every night…or day, Sasuke sometimes didn't know when it was night and when it was day.

This room had that door. That cursed piece of metal that separated him from the outside world, a little rusty on the sides, the grey color worn-off on some places. That disgustingly small hole which they called a window. And those bars. Thick enough for him to just touch them and be tired. And he felt tiny glimpses of light….but that was all.

All that was left. And Sasuke cried when he heard Kimimaro singing again, sometimes reminding him of that lost freedom. A freedom he knew he maybe couldn't even remember. What did it feel like?

_So...so sleep..._

And then those words started to float again. From two mouths, this time. Sasuke started, quietly, hesitating, his voice only a whisper. He curled into a ball on the floor, holding his knees to his jaws, handcuffed hands again around his legs. He rocked back and forth, blind eyes staring at something only he could see.

"…_In your memory…of me…"_

'_Brother…what did I do?'_

It took only a moment and then there was another voice that joined Kimimaro's creepy serenade. This voice was cold, but it shivered, was uncertain and much more quiet than Kimimaro's, like the poor boy wasn't sure what he was doing, or who he really was, did anyone know what he was really feeling? Or was he feeling anything at all?

"_Your tears…maybe nothing to me…"_

"_Orochimaru-sama, come, come! Look at him, look! Isn't he just pathetic! Isn't he just a sad, poor thing!"_

Kimimaro yelled and laughed, laughed, until he sang again. Sang that song with Sasuke, who cried silently but couldn't stop.

I-I… I know this song! 

Sasuke's sobbing stopped suddenly, when his mouth still created those words, different from the ones in his mind.

_Yes…Aniki…you…you played this…you always played this…for me…_

Sasuke rocked back and forth again and a tired smile appeared on the nearly blind boy's face.

With your piano… 

'_Sasuke. Listen…this reminds me so much of you, dear little brother. You have to listen…clearly. Do you understand? Well…of course you do. _

A giggle burst out from him and the song stopped for a moment, until it continued.

_You are my little brother and I do love you. Don't believe Mother and Father, they are lying._

"Mommy and daddy don't want their little boy get hurt?" And Sasuke started to laugh.

- -

"Ah…is that so?" Iruka smiled kindly at Deidara, who had just said something that had somehow sounded like 'I like bombs.' The pony tailed man never seemed to get angry at the blonde, even when he could nap a little at the others. Izumo and Kotetsu rolled their eyes but grinned at the mother hen, when he started fussing at the other patients again. Deidara stared after Iruka without blinking his eyes – or, the eye that was visible under all that messy blonde hair – and grinned like a excited little kid. Kurenai giggled a little. The atmosphere at here was so much different, compared to the criminal ward. When Naruto that day – yes, the day after that certain tomorrow next to the night when Sasuke remembered his brother playing the creepy song – stepped inside, he felt strangely light. Dressed in black and white, he felt a sudden urge to see that blackhaired boy, but when he peeked his head through the doorframe at the lunchroom, Iruka stopped him by suddenly shouting his name. The ponytail-man's warm brown eyes were filled with worry.

"You know…Naruto…" The said boy blinked at him. What, now? Iruka had never before stopped him.

"I think you should know something. Sasuke…well…he…is acting weird."

"For being a mad person already?" Naruto asked, cocking his head a little, blue eyes wide with innocence that didn't really exist. Iruka looked nervous.

"Y-yeah…but he…well… he just sits there. Lately, he hasn't even had a fit of rage, not at all…he just sits there and talks sometimes to himself and laughs." Iruka bit his lip. His mother hen-instinct was full and running. Naruto raised his eyebrows.

"But…isn't it a good thing that he's finally – "

"It's not! Something is even more seriously wrong with him, I just know it!" Iruka suddenly shouted and other's heads turned to him. Iruka blushed faintly, but his brown eyes were locked quite firmly on Naruto's.

"Well, if you're gonna go then I'm going to go with you." And his voice left no room for any protestation, so Naruto just smiled a little and shrugged. They turned and walked to the criminal ward, Naruto feeling a little uneasy because of the way their steps seemed to be so loud.

When they walked nearer to Sasuke's room, they heard singing. Quiet singing. Iruka looked at his left, at Kimimaro's door and saw that the man was standing in the middle of it. And he sang. Naruto didn't seem to even notice, as he walked right to Sasuke's door.

"Sasuke." He said and didn't even blink, as he felt that blind gaze settle on him. But what puzzled him the most, was when a hint of smile appeared on that pale face. Sasuke had certainly never, ever smiled before. But what wasn't surprising was the fact that this smile was _cold. _Naruto shifted slightly.

"Good day to you." The raven-haired suddenly spoke and Naruto's blue eyes widened. He pointed a finger at Sasuke and Iruka shrugged, looking worried.

"Uchiha-san? Are you going to behave? You have a visitor here." He said with his best mother-hen-voice and tapped his key to the bars on the window on the door. Sasuke tilted his head a little, like he was thinking.

"Certainly." He answered quietly and rose. His handcuffs clanked against each other, but Sasuke didn't seem to even notice. Iruka bit his lip again, and Naruto squeezed his shoulder, trying to calm to poor man down.

"It's okay. I wanted to see him more closely, so…please, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto looked at Iruka, blue eyes wide and innocent. Iruka smiled a little and couldn't help but smile, when he pushed the key to the lock.

Neither of them saw that the smile on Sasuke's face seemed to be so much more…insane than a moment ago.

"Uchiha-san? I'm going to be right outside this door, so don't go on a rampage, okay?" Iruka said, his voice just a little bit. Sasuke only nodded. Naruto scratched his head. He felt the hardness of the door digging into his back, but he didn't move from his position beside the door. Neither did Sasuke. Both boys just stood there, the other, near the twilight of the little window, the other in the grey darkness of the room.

"So…Sasuke." Naruto started. Sasuke turned his head towards him, and even took a step before stopping. Naruto raised his eyebrows. This was kind of…like…his dream. Sasuke _was _indeed really skinny – what he could see under that thin hospital gown -, and a head shorter than Naruto, who had only recently hit his growth spurt. Even though Sasuke's bluish-black hair seemed to be all tangled and without shine, Naruto's fingers still itched to touch it. Why? He wasn't that sure, so you shouldn't even ask. When Sasuke shifted his hands, you could see how thin the layers of his skin were, how white, like porcelain.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke whispered. The smile didn't disappear, but Naruto could almost swear that his eyes were closed behind that white blindfold.

"I said the last time that I wanted to help you. That is what I am trying to do."¨

"Are you really?" Sasuke's voice sounded so weak. Naruto sighed.

"Sasuke…" Finally, when the other boy seemed to behave a little more better, it's like Murphy's law that something is bound to happen. This time, Sasuke started to giggle. Not just any _teehee_-how-funny-giggle, but a sound that said quite clearly that this person was not only mentally unstable, but very clearly insane. Naruto sighed again.

"Naruto, is everything - ?"

"Everything is just fine, Iruka-sensei. Let me handle this."

"…Okay." Iruka didn't open the door, when Naruto stepped closer to the other boy.

"Sasuke?"

"That is so sickly funny that it's almost…_Oh God…" _Sasuke seemed like he had heard the best joke ever in the world. He stepped a little further away from the bed.

"No one's ever said that." Sasuke stopped giggling suddenly and raised his long, white fingers to his lips, like he was hesitating about something.

"Ever." His voice was suddenly fragile, so weak that Naruto couldn't help but feel so much sympathy, that he almost stopped walking when he reached the other side of the bed. Sasuke shifted from other foot to another and Naruto heard a sickening _crack_-sound, when the shorter boy stretched his thin wrists – even under those handcuffs, Naruto saw traces of old scars and felt sick. So…Sasuke had been cutting himself when he had got the chance…Naruto shivered a little and didn't even notice when he had almost walked at Sasuke. The shorter boy didn't even flinch.

"I don't know the truth behind that thing, though…whoever you are. I don't know and I'm not interested…not at all…not at all, no." He only said and Naruto took a step back and noticed that the small iron bed was right behind him.

"They never…nobody ever said…that they needed me…" Sasuke's voice had lowered down into a whimper. Naruto blinked again and fingered his blonde, messy hair nervously.

"Sasuke…I'm speaking the truth."

"Truth? What is the truth…?" Sasuke's slender figure shivered. Naruto felt suddenly like he shouldn't be here, at all, that he should leave the other boy in peace before something dreadful happened, but no, Naruto hadn't actually ever been one to listen to his instincts. Those certain instincts, that were trying to tell him that one right next to him was very capable of killing a person and he just stood there, like it was nothing! Before Naruto could spoke, Sasuke suddenly turned around, his hands on his blindfold, trying very much to tear it off.

"Go away!" The boy suddenly screamed and the next thing Naruto knew, was that the shorter boy had actually pushed him down the bed and sneaked his fragile-looking, pale fingers around Naruto's throat.

"W-wait a…second…" Naruto managed to say, before Sasuke's other foot hit him straight into his stomach.

"Shut up, now! Why do you torment me!" The raven-haired screamed right into his face and Naruto just stared, his strong hands trying to find the suddenly disappearing strength to get Sasuke's thin fingers away from his throat. And where in the world had Iruka disappeared? The man should have been barging into the room by now…Naruto blinked twice, when his vision was going hazy. He felt tears on his cheeks and knew, that they didn't belong to him.

"L-l-leave me…alone…" Sasuke cried silently, as his fingers clutched even more at Naruto's throat. The blonde didn't fight back. Where had his strength gone? He noticed, feeling a little sad, that he couldn't raise his hand against the other boy. Even if it meant several head injuries and hospitals and all that stuff. Because Naruto noticed that he only wanted the other boy to have an actual life, to be a normal, happy boy, not this…_being _who lived in this darkness. And he had also noticed…that…his own life didn't matter that much.

Who would miss him if he were gone?

"Why?" Sasuke whimpered and his hold on the blonde's throat loosened a little.

"Why don't you fight back? Hit me!" The mental patient cried again, when he felt the taller boy go limp under him. Sasuke was so confused, so lost in his own dark dreams that he suddenly backed away from the bed and started to scream. This time, it wasn't an animalistic yell like the ones he had when going on one of those his rampages, no, this crying was the sound of a person, so lost, that he didn't even know the limits of his own strength. _What strength? He asks. _And he had never known any kind of love, nor passion, nor lust. _Nothing._ Because this boy feels that he doesn't even have a heart, he feels like if you open him, there would be nothing inside.

Just an empty shell.


	8. Chapter 7: Open Your Eyes

http/ zaccheo. livejournal. / 12689.html- that's the link to VeiledLantern's fanart. Go check it out. I adore those drawings, pretty. Thank you. (Just erase the spaces between the words.)

Thanks for the reviews, again. Here's the next chapter. You may call it the 'Enter Gaara'-chapter. Yeah, Gaara. I only recently realized that I could actually add Gaara here. I love redheads.

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"I really wonder if everything went well…" Iruka thought worriedly as he hurried back to the criminal ward, after being hastily called away by the confused Izumo. Iruka had felt terrible – and scared – for leaving Naruto with the very unstable Sasuke, but for a moment he had just… Iruka sighed and rubbed his temples. His head was aching so much that he could barely think. The brownhaired man's thoughts had been elsewhere – in the poor Deidara, who had been having his strange seizures again -, but now they came back to where he actually was with a crashing force.

He heard overjoyed, overly _happy _ranting and singing from Kimimaro's room. Iruka frowned and went closer.

"And he finally did that! And that and that _too _and _whoopsie, there he goes again! _Now isn't that just horrible, soooo horrible, don't you think so too, _love? _Don't you? I can see…Oh, hello there Umino-sensei." Iruka looked at Kimimaro, who looked back. The whitehaired man's green eyes were staring back with clear madness in them. Wide, happy grin was on his face. Iruka only frowned again.

"Please be quiet, Kimimaro-kun." The green-eyed monster just giggled back and started to walk around in his room, giggling, but not speaking again. And Iruka bit his lip as he turned around to Sasuke's door. The room behind it was eerily quiet and hurriedly Iruka pushed his key to the lock, opening the door. He blinked and stared at the sight in front of him. Sasuke was trembling in the corner, halfway sliding to the floor and his skinny arms around himself. And he was crying. Again.

"Uchiha-san…" Iruka said quietly, but the boy didn't seem to even hear. Then his brown eyes met the sight on the bed. Tall, limp form with the mess of golden hair.

"Naruto-kun!" Iruka gasped and was on the blond boy's side in a second. He didn't even notice when Sasuke stood up, still shivering and murmuring something.

"Naruto…" Iruka touched the pale cheek and then the boy's neck. Good god, at least he was still breathing…the gentle hearted pony-tail man let out a little sigh of relief. He carefully lifted Naruto's left arm and put it around his own shoulders, the he put his own arm around the boy's waist and turned around to leave from the room. But to Iruka's very surprise – and shock -, he saw how Sasuke suddenly made a rush towards the door, which he had so carelessly left unlocked. First, Sasuke almost bumped into a wall instead. But, like a panicked animal, he more felt than saw the faint light coming from the corridor and bolted to the door.

"Uchiha-san!" Iruka tried to yell, but the still sobbing Sasuke was beyond words. The boy managed to push the door open and then he ran.

"_Idiiiiot! _Monster! Beware, beware! He comes, he goes, he comes. _Mother is right, Sasuke's been a baaaad boy. _Bewareeee! Monster, a monster!" Kimimaro screamed at the top of his lungs as he saw Sasuke blindly running down the corridor, yelling something that sounded terribly like…

"_I'm sorry…I'm sorry, I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…"_

"Uchiha-san!" Iruka yelled, horrified, as he went after Sasuke to the corridor. He instantly heard Zabuza growling with a low voice and he saw the black-haired man clutching the bars on his door.

"Run, bitch." Zabuza hissed and stared at Iruka with hateful eyes as the poor man went beside his door. He couldn't actually run while carrying Naruto, so he just tried to walk as fast as he could, yelling after Sasuke, who almost crashed three times into a wall, seeing nothing. Sasuke opened the door at end of the corridor with shaking hands and run through the doorframe.

It was, that at the same time when Sasuke started his blind run, that the front doors of Akai Tsuki opened and inside stepped a teenager. Not just any teenager, but a gothic boy with fiery, short red hair, the kanji for _'love' _in his forehead and sharp, greenish blue eyes. Gaara cleaned a non-existent dust away from his black, ripped shirt and then he looked around him. Those sharp eyes narrowed a little, as he walked forward, hands in his pockets and his chains clinking a little against his blood red trousers. He walked and cocked his head to his side, as he heard someone scream. Well, this _was _a mental hospital, but still…to Gaara's surprise – his eyes widened a little – he saw a skinny, dark haired boy in a hospital gown that reached his knees, running towards him.

"Hey you, stop him!" Gaara heard a yell. The redhead turned his head. Sasuke accidentally crashed right onto him and flinched. Before the patient could even react, Gaara's strong hands had already grabbed him. And being the more taller and stronger one, Sasuke could only shriek pathetically and try to fight back.

"What is this?" Gaara said quietly – he rarely yelled -, mostly to himself. A pony tailed man stepped out of the same corridor that the boy had ran. He looked a little flushed – must have been all that rushing and yelling – as he opened his mouth to speak, but when he saw Gaara's sharp gaze concentrated on the unconscious figure he was holding. Iruka became quiet and bit his lip again. The redhead's eyes narrowed dangerously. Sasuke had fallen silent and was shivering, when even he felt the murderous intent from that taller boy.

"Did you… do that… to Naruto?" Gaara asked quietly. _Naruto…_now, let's just say that the redhead wasn't one to actually have friends. Mostly because everyone felt so intimidated about him and were scared. And Gaara knew it was his fault. It wasn't like he even wanted friends, right? Yeah, not until Naruto came in to the scene. And he was one that Gaara could call his friend, his best friend, even. The blond had said it himself, with that wide, happy grin plastered on his face, while ruffling the red hair of his friend. And Naruto had accepted him as he was, not wanting anything. And it was only to Naruto, that Gaara had actually even smiled, had curved those thin lips and said things that he wouldn't say to anyone. And for Naruto…Gaara would do quite many things. He had sworn he would seriously hurt – or even kill – anyone who insulted or hurt Naruto anyway. Iruka panicked and shook his head as he saw Gaara's glare.

"No, no…. you have the wrong impression…" Iruka's brown eyes lingered at Gaara for a while, before his eyes darted to look at someone else.

"Tsunade-sama, could you help, please?" Gaara's attention was turned away at the busty blonde woman, who stood behind him. Golden brown only looked at him curiously for a while, before the woman grasped Sasuke's skinny, handcuffed hand.

"It's…t-too… bright…" Sasuke murmured, when Tsunade gave him the injection quite roughly, her full lips tightly together. Sasuke began to feel a little drowsy and his blindfolded gaze fell to the floor. Gaara let go of him and Tsunade led the shivering boy, the last remaining Uchiha, back to his room. Iruka sighed and motioned for Gaara to follow him. The redhead obeyed, crossing his arms. He hadn't missed the way Sasuke's gaze – he wondered a little about the blindfold – had turned around, like he was looking for something.

"I'm sorry…" Gaara heard Sasuke's last quiet sob and then Tsunade's soothing voice. Their voices disappeared behind the door. Gaara shook his head and followed the still creepily silent Naruto.

Iruka laid Naruto down on the couch at his office and Gaara sat in front of him, looking a little irritated by all of this.

"First of all…may I ask your name? It's not very polite for me to say 'you' all the time." Iruka said and looked at Gaara, now feeling a little empty. The redhead just looked at him.

"I am Suna no Gaara. I am his friend, what the hell is going on here?" Gaara growled. Oh yes, certainly he was angry. Naruto was unconscious, for God's sake. And he had seen those red marks around his neck that _someone's _fingers had left. Gaara's chilling cold eyes moved to stare at Iruka, who hesitated, before shrugging.

"Well…as you may know, Naruto has been coming here a lot during the summer – "

"Yes, I know about that stupid summer job…" Gaara interrupted and glared at everything and anything. Only when looking at Naruto – Iruka noticed – was, that his sharp glance softened. But it was as piercing as ever as the redhead looked at the brown-haired man again. Iruka coughed and nodded a little.

"But well, the one Naruto's been visiting a lot is Uchiha-san. Namely that certain Sasuke Uchiha, who you accidentally met at the corridor…" Iruka's voice lowered and Gaara's eyes narrowed. Uchiha…_Uchiha…_he remembered reading about those things few years ago. At first, that mass murder that happened… not a single of the wealthy, big Uchiha family remained. Not a single one…. except for the little brother, who was currently somewhere around 11 years at that time. Gossip went strong, but one thing was certain…Itachi Uchiha had been the one do that and had sent his little brother into the mists of his own mind.

"I know about the Uchihas. They are all dead now, aren't they? Isn't that's why…Sasuke's there?" Gaara asked quietly. Iruka looked sad.

"Yes, they are. And that is the reason. It seems that when the elder Uchiha brother did…what he did, he also did something else to mess with his little brother's mind. We came to the conclusion that that _'something' _was indeed what we would call…rape." Iruka looked a little pale at that. Even Gaara's cold heart felt a tiny sympathy towards the annihilated family all those years ago.

"Isn't that just lovely…the respected and loved big brother goes on a rampage and kills his family and leaves just his little brother, rapes him and then escapes somewhere…" Gaara snarled, venom in his voice.

"…_Hai. _Sasuke was diagnosed with severe schizophrenia when he was first brought here. It was such a sad sight to see…14-year-old boy, small, with black eyes and black hair, so pale that he looked like a vampire. The most ugliest thing was that he was found by the police at the scene of his own crime…next to the body of Itachi Uchiha." Iruka shivered a little. He had been there, he had seen that slender-built boy with blood in his hands, giggling and madness in his black eyes – nobody had first seen the red fire in them. The body of his big brother was laying right next to him, many cuts around his neck and chest, a big knife sticking out of his chest. He had felt so…_sick, _at least when seeing the smile on Itachi's face. But his eyes had been wide, so wide and with the certain lack of emotion. And their color…had been the very color of blood. Iruka looked elsewhere and stared at Naruto laying on his couch, for a while, without being able to continue. Gaara tapped his table, impatiently.

"Sorry, I paced out…well, he has been like that ever since that day. He should be 17 now…and the…yes, the blindfold. Well, it's just that there was something about his eyes. First they were so dark like pools of black water, and then they would change and be that very tone of red that we saw when Itachi Uchiha died. One of our nurses died day after she saw his eyes, other one broke her arm. Just by looking at his eyes. And other…things happened. So we decided it would be best to cover his eyes. There had been ups and downs with him, but there hadn't been a day he had seem to even recover. Medicine and all works quite fine, but there's something wrong, so deeply inside his mind that it keeps him from the normal world. And I never saw the harm in letting Naruto sit behind his door all day and talk to him. Sasuke answered him one day and that only encouraged Naruto. He's quite a boy, isn't he…?" Iruka smiled a little and Gaara snorted, but shrugged it off. This was actually quite interesting.

"But today…well, Sasuke had been behaving more well than ever and Naruto had been begging me already for weeks to be let inside his room. I refused so many times, who knows that Sasuke would do…and this happened." Iruka blinked and sighed, rubbing his head again. Gaara's crossed arms twitched.

"I was gone for a little second and then I find Naruto unconscious and Sasuke sobbing in the corner. He's always there, alone…and Kimimaro-kun in the opposite cell isn't quite helping things with his ranting. But, well, here we are…" Iruka's talk was interrupted by the low moan from the couch. Both he and Gaara turned to look. Naruto hadn't moved, but he was frowning a little and his other hand twitched. Somehow, his unconsciousness had turned into a restless nightmare.

"_Sasuke?"_

"_Oy, Sasuke, is that you?"_

_Naruto looked around him. There was nothing…nothing but that old, dusty Japanese house. The blond frowned. He could sworn he had sawn a dark figure walking around…pouting a little, Naruto turned around but still saw nothing._

_He heard a whisper right at his ear, which made him jump._

"_Sasuke! That is not funny!" Naruto said and rubbed his blue eyes, looking around. He walked and touched the front sliding door of the house. He went in and was immediately swallowed by it's darkness. _

_Someone sang in the distance, that very song that Kimimaro had sang so many times in the midnight – Naruto of course hadn't heard it before, so the lyrics just freaked him out even more._

"_Sasuke?" Naruto called out again._

'_You will not hear me say…I'm sorry…'_

"_Y-you…"_

_Naruto turned around. And there was Sasuke. Handcuffs around his wrists, head bowed down. But a black kimono covered just barely, but not enough. And Naruto saw countless scars and burnt marks around that skinny body. _

_Blue eyes widened in concern. And Naruto took a step forward._

'_Where is the light…wonder if it's weeping somewhere…'_

"_Naruto." Sasuke whispered. That made the blond boy stopped. He had never heard Sasuke saying his name before. The raven-haired raised his head. His lips were parted slightly and his breathing sounded…forced, somehow. _

"_Sasuke! Are you okay?" Naruto asked and took a step forward again. Sasuke looked straight at him – he thought – and his skinny shoulders shook. _

"_I…"_

_To Naruto's shock, he saw one drop of blood coming under that dark cloth that covered Sasuke's eyes. It was like a bloody tear. And then…_

"_I…want to…_

_Other bloody tear leaving it's red trail down that white cheek._

"_I want to…"_

"_You want what, Sasuke? Tell me, please." Naruto bend down a little and his hands grasped Sasuke's slender shoulders. The blond boy couldn't help but feel concern, feel sympathy for this white and black and red being in front of him._

"_I want to see…"_

_And then there were more of those bloody tears, more, colouring Sasuke's white cheeks red._

"_You want to see what?" Naruto asked quietly. His own hands were now shaking, as he saw Sasuke raising his and touching his blindfold._

"_Take it off…I want to see…"_

_Sasuke's too thin fingers curled around the cloth and started to tug at it. When Naruto started to help, the raven-haired boy just hissed at him._

"_I want…I w-want to…s-s-see…"_

_The wide, dark cloth slid to the ground. For a while, black bangs covered Sasuke's face. _

_Before being able to control himself, Naruto took a step back. Another._

"_I want to see…" Sasuke said again and white hand moved those strands of messy blue and black away._

"_You." _

_Naruto heard himself scream. There weren't eyes that were staring at him, no, just two empty holes. Blood flowed down his cheeks. A little smile tucked Sasuke's thin lips._

"_I…I… can't…I still can't…" And then Sasuke started to scream. Shout of an animal in anguish. He clutched his cheeks, his eyes and screamed and screamed and screamed. _

"_I still can't see you! Why, why!" _

Naruto's blue eyes were suddenly wide open. He breathed heavily and it took a moment to realize where he was and with whom. He sat and then his blue eyes concentrated on Gaara. A little smile appeared on blond's face.

"Hi-hi Gaara. I-Iruka-sensei." Only now Naruto noticed the brown-haired man standing next to his redheaded friend. Naruto flashed a sheepish, confused smile and scratched his head.

"Was I… unconscious for…a long time?" Iruka shook his head.

"Oh…okay." Gaara's hand had found it's way at the top of Naruto's and squeezed it. The blond smiled at his friend.

"I'm okay…just a nightmare…" Yeah, just a nightmare. But Naruto didn't understand this overwhelming feeling of pure sadness in his heart. And it _hurt._

"Oh, and Iruka-sensei…don't blame Sasuke. He…he doesn't understand what he's doing." When Gaara was angrily opening his mouth and saying something nasty, Naruto pushed a finger against his lips and shook his head.

"No, Gaara. I like you, you're my best friend, but this is something I must do…Sasuke is…broken. And I want to fix him, fix his life, at any cost. And let him understand that I only want to help him." Naruto said quietly and Gaara only blinked at him. And then shrugged.

"But only in the condition that you're not going inside his room anymore. At least not alone. I believe you – " _I could believe everything my only friend says – " –_and I know about the Uchiha massacre and all…but that boy is a schizophrenic, no matter what you say." Gaara said sternly and Naruto scratched the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. It was just that attitude that Naruto couldn't argue with. Normally, no one would argue with Gaara anyway, but Naruto couldn't say no. He shrugged.

"Okay." He grinned and Iruka could have sworn that he saw a hint of smile in Gaara's face.

After fifteen minutes, Iruka let the two friends to another room this time. It was so _white _that even Naruto had to blink. But it was clearly just a normal hospital room and in the middle of it – it wasn't that big – was a bed and in it lay Sasuke. It saddened the three of them to see that Tsunade had actually had to tie his hands so that if he freaked out, no one would get hurt. But the boy seemed this time to be in a deep sleep. The blindfold was still there and both boys saw the gentle rise and fall of the chest hidden under those sheets. Naruto stepped forward and walked next to the bed, Gaara after him, Iruka leaning against the door. He didn't want to interrupt.

"Sasuke…" Naruto whispered quietly and his blue eyes were suddenly so…bright and beautiful that it hurt to look. The blond boy remembered his terrible dream, what he wasn't scared. Even if that happened – and he didn't believe it- Sasuke still would never seriously hurt him. And even if he did, he didn't mean it. The slender raven-haired Uchiha prodigy didn't know the limits of his own strength, and was so confused and lost that Naruto wanted to be the one to lead the Uchiha back…where he belonged. Not here, not certainly here. For a while the boy only watched Sasuke's sleeping face, beautiful – the only word that he could use – frame and how his thin lips were slightly parted. He looked as the white hand laying on top of the sheets twitched, saw those thin fingers curl a little. It was so miraculous, how he felt like he had been enchanted. And he knew that he wanted nothing more than to be there for this sole survivor. Naruto bend down and carefully tugged the cloth covering Sasuke's eyes up and away. Iruka didn't move, he just watched, with a sad smile on his face. Gaara flinched, his hand grabbing Naruto's arm, but the blond boy didn't even seem to notice.

Yes. This is what he had expected. Not that terrible scene from his dream, not those _two black holes_ with nothing inside, not those eyeless eyes, not that sad little thing.

No.

Naruto lay the cloth down at the small table next to the bed, his blue eyes never leaving Sasuke's face.

He felt himself smile a little, as he watched the slight flutter of long, dark eyelashes. There were such a dark contrast against that deathly pale skin. A strand of bluish-black hair was caught on his face and with one gentle move Naruto wiped it away.

God, this boy was just… 

_So fragile, like he would break if I even touched him for real. And he is...the most beautiful thing I've ever seen._

"Sasuke…" Naruto said again. Gaara's grip on his arm was a little harder, but the blond ignored him completely.

'_Don't be sorry, Sasuke. I forgave you already when you did what you did.'_

But when Naruto reached out his hand, when his fingers had already felt a little of that cold skin, a skinny hand grabbed his wrist. It squeezed so hard that Naruto winced, mouth slightly open, blue eyes widening. Even with the cuffs on his hands, Sasuke's other hand had risen just enough to clench his fingers around Naruto's wrist.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked quietly, bending closer.

Those eyelashes fluttered again and this time, there was a strip of darkness between his lids. Gladly the room wasn't that bright, with only two dim lamps on the ceiling. Sasuke turned his head.

Naruto's breath caught in his throat, when his blue ones met dark eyes, black eyes, colour so deep that Naruto felt like he could just drown himself into those pools of darkness.

* * *

(And I am not addicted to Sasuke's eyes, I am not addicted to Sasuke's eyes, I am not... 

Cough. Yeah.)

Woohoo!

Finally, someone may say. I can't help but love those two. I just love them. As friends, as rivals, as team-mates, as lovers, ANYTHING.

I'm so happy, even with this chapter too. Hope you like.


	9. Chapter 8: Good Boy

Sorry, I took a while, but here's the next chapter.

Warning: FLUFF. Lots of fluff. (I had to, sorry.) And something usual for this story, yeah.

-.- sigh. Geez, I'm in no mood to write anything that even vaguely resembles fluff, since my head is aching and all. But bear with it. I'll try my best. And by the way, you will not hear anything from me for a week, since I'm going to France this weekend. (Which is like…three days from now.) Okay, so I am really really excited about going to France, but I'll be away from computer for a week! OO Terrifying idea. Okay, there will be of course gorgeous stores and equally gorgeous French people, but….but…still. (And I am still going to take hundreds of fanfics and all that stuff with me.) I'm not rich, not at all, so I'm afraid that I'm going to lose all my money there… -.-

And I still have to get cosplay-things and all, since in August there will be a cosplay and anime and manga event at the capital of my beloved home country. I'm going to cosplay as ANBU-Sasuke and L from Death Note and I am too excited. Xx I'm all jumping around here. Oh my.

Sorry, I rambled again.

On to our lovely story, here we go!

* * *

The two boys just stared at each other. Two very different boys, from different sides of the world.

One blond and one brunette.

Blue eyes watching black, the latter swallowing the other. While Naruto's gaze was full of worry and sympathy – but also a little joy -, Sasuke just stared at him impassively. The blond boy smiled almost shyly as he watched the awakened patient, but he didn't dare to say anything. There was no tension, the atmosphere was almost calm, as Sasuke blinked in a very confused manner and finally let go of Naruto's wrist, moving his black gaze almost hesitantly away. He blinked again as he noticed Gaara standing next to Naruto – Gaara just stared – and looked at Iruka for a long time, before turning his gaze back at Naruto, who hadn't looked away even for a second.

"A-are…y-y-you…" Sasuke coughed. It really seemed that he wasn't quite aware of his surroundings and Naruto was a little scared that he might panic.

"W-where…?" Sasuke only murmured quietly, head turning a little around. He closed his eyes for a second before opening them again.

"It's so bright…" The blond boy next to him sighed and barely kept his hands from moving, from caressing that bluish black hair, from offering any kind of comfort that he seriously wanted to give to the other. Sasuke's voice had sounded so…_small _and confused. Naruto turned and looked at Iruka, who nodded a little and smiled gently. Blond smiled back at him and turned his gaze towards Sasuke, who was still gazing around the room with half-lidded eyes, murmuring something to himself.

"You are still in the hospital…Sasuke." Naruto said quietly, still smiling calmly. The young Uchiha seemed to flinch at mentioning his own name and looked away, biting his lip. Naruto sighed and was quiet for a while, looking at Gaara for a while, asking the other boy to turn off the other one of the two dim lamps in the room. The redhead did so, but returned to stand at the position he was a little earlier. Small smile from Naruto made Gaara take a step back. It was time like these, that some outsider would wonder if those two had some kind of telepathic connection, since they seemed to communicate even without words. But it was just the fact that they had known each other for so long and now Gaara understood that Naruto didn't want anything to bother the poor patient in the bed, who had just recently opened his eyes and looked at the world again. Gaara turned his eyes away, as Naruto bowed at Sasuke and smiled reassuringly.

"Yes, I am indeed Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki, nice to finally see…eye-to-eye." Now _that _made Sasuke glance at him again. He looked like a little boy with his dark eyes wide like that and lips slightly parted, as he seemed like he couldn't believe that. Naruto reached out a shaking hand and even dared to touch a lock of bluish-black hair. For a moment he even smiled, but then he noticed something that made his smile fade.

"Sasu…ke…?" The raven-haired boy was actually…_crying._

He had turned his head; so that his bangs covered half of his face, but Naruto saw two glistening tears on his deathly pale cheeks, saw how those too skinny shoulders trembled. Naruto sighed and kneeled next to the bed, hand reaching out and his fingers touching the other pale cheek, only very lightly. When Sasuke flinched, Naruto quickly retreated his hand, only to put it in top of Sasuke's. This time, the patient didn't flinch, but just continued to cry silently. One look at the blond's sincere, smiling face and Iruka turned to leave. Gaara only shrugged, but he turned around as well and left the room, left the two their peace. They could have been grains of sand to the two boys in the room. Naruto didn't even realize, that his thumb was tracing soothing circles on Sasuke's slender hand. Although his touch was feather-light, he still felt Sasuke shiver, even while tears were still flowing freely.

"Sasuke…" Naruto whispered and his sorrowful smile faltered. He had such a strong, sudden urge to hug the other boy, but he knew that Sasuke wasn't ready yet. Not ready to feel that much yet. Just, not yet. Even this – him touching the Uchiha's hand was a big step. With his free hand he rubbed his eyes and yawned. He hadn't even realized how tired he was until now, thoughts of Sasuke had invaded his mind so. And with another loud, jaw-clenching yawn, the blond boy drifted to sleep and saw no dreams.

Half an hour later, Iruka finally returned and opened the door to peek in. He couldn't help but smile at the sight in front of him. Naruto's head was laying at the edge of the bed, his other hand on top of the white hand of the one person, whose skinny wrists were tied on to the bed. When Iruka curiously went closer, he saw that the poor boy named Sasuke Uchiha was in a deep sleep, seeing no dreams, in that calm, relaxing slumber. And Iruka saw also that for the first time in all those years, Sasuke's face was peaceful, beautiful hair framing that smooth face, long eyelashes barely touching his cheeks.

Iruka smiled and backed away, stealing the last glance towards the two boys, before retreating from the room. That blond boy was such a miracle.

* * *

Another half an hour and somebody woke up.

Sasuke blinked and frowned.

_Where…am I?_

He tried to raise his hand to rub his eyes, but realized that it was tied to the bed, so he could hardly move it. Sasuke sighed. He knew why. He knew perfectly well although he wasn't sure if he was supposed to know something like that.

Oh well.

He turned his head and his eyes widened.

_What?_

He saw only a mess of golden hair and a big, tanned hand actually… touching his own. Sasuke opened his mouth but only a small wince escaped. The pale boy couldn't move, and couldn't turn his eyes away.

_Why?_

Sasuke couldn't understand. His mind had been such a mess – yes, it was still a mess, but… somehow. Yes, he could see.

He could actually see.

Was this real? Was this actually real? Was he really here? What was 'here'?

Was this still the same place? That…that hospital?

Sasuke only vaguely remembered the day that he had been brought. Everything else was covered in the dark, screams and blood. And darkness.

Wait…

_His own screams. His brother's blood. Oh God…_

Sasuke flinched and turned his head, gulping. His throat hurt, his eyes hurt. Even thinking hurt.

"Sasuke?"

A voice said and made the panicking boy turn again. Sleepy blue eyes were glancing at him with worry. Sasuke opened his mouth to say something, but then returned to biting his poor lip. Naruto smiled at him.

"Are you okay?" The blond asked. Black eyes blinked and stared at him blankly. Naruto reached out his hand to touch his face, but Sasuke flinched and backed away, staring at him wildly. Naruto sighed worriedly.

"Really, now…I'm worried about you." Blond whispered quietly and never moved his eyes away from Sasuke's face, frowning in worry. Sasuke's hand had started to shake, but the boy didn't move again, just stared back.

"D-don't…touch me." The pale boy said in a trembling voice and to Naruto's shock, he had started to cry again. He felt so tired, suddenly. He didn't want this! He didn't want any of this! All he had wanted was to live happily with his beloved family, to play with his big brother.

_He hadn't wanted this to happen._

Did someone actually believe that an 11-year-old kid knew anything about how the world goes?

He hadn't wanted that his big brother – that he loved more than himself – would go on a killing rampage and do all…that. And touch him that way. The way…that…he didn't want to remember that anymore.

Sometimes, it just doesn't go the way you would want in to go, that is one thing Sasuke had learned the hard way, Naruto realized as he watched the other boy tremble on the bed. It must have been the end of the world to the poor thing as he found out what had happened. And Naruto felt that he just couldn't live Sasuke alone. He wanted Sasuke to feel again, to feel that he was wanted, that someone still cared about him, even though his whole family was gone. The blue-eyed boy kneeled again and took other pale hand in between his own. First, Sasuke seemed to panic, but didn't snatch his hand away. Naruto couldn't help but feel tears in his own eyes too, as he squeezed the slender hand gently, putting his forehead against the cold skin. Why? Where was the warmth that told that this person here was alive?

Where was the gentle beating of a heart? Naruto couldn't feel and he started to cry. His tears made Sasuke's hand wet, but the pale boy just stared. Why? He couldn't understand. He just couldn't. Even though he was still trembling, strange warmth was slowly making its way inside of him and he felt the nightmares drifting away from his mind. Just with this…

Just with this simple touch, this…this boy was making him actually _feel._

Sasuke was so confused. He couldn't understand, no, he took in every little thing about the other, the blond, messy hair that hang too long at some places, the now closed bright blue eyes – Sasuke somehow remembered that he had never seen a person with eyes so blue and beautiful – and tanned skin and those strange three lines on his each cheek. That strong, tall build.

To Sasuke, this boy was some kind of…embodiment of the light that he had lost so many years ago. Oh, maybe it was only three or five years – Sasuke had lost count a long ago – but to the poor Uchiha, it felt like a lifetime. And he felt odd hurt in his…heart, as he saw that certain boy crying.

Like he was the one at fault because of this.

That boy…_Naruto…_

Crying, because of _him!_

Sasuke had thought that nobody cared enough to cry. Not after that…incident. _But still…_

Sasuke's lips trembled, as he tried to reach out his other hand.

"Please…" He started, blinking and trying to clear his vision from his own tears that were threatening to fall.

"Please…don't…" What was he saying?

He wasn't sure. But he was sure about one thing. And that was the fact, that he didn't like that someone cried just because he was here. Just because he had been through…_that. _Nothing! He wanted that crying to stop, right now. He couldn't bear it, someone other's, and _that boy's, _tears were totally unbearable, horrible!

"Please stop it!" Sasuke cried, his other hand just inches away from that golden hair. Naruto raised his head and looked at him.

"W-what?"

"Don't… d-do that." Sasuke's lips were shaking; he couldn't look at that tear-stained face.

"Do what?" Naruto blinked.

"Don't…cry." Sasuke whispered in a small and sorrowful voice, not looking at the other boy again.

"Don't cry…because of me." The last remaining Uchiha managed to say, gulping down the nasty lump at his throat. Naruto squeezed his hand again, his thumbs caressing his palm, sending shivers running up and down his body. Naruto quickly wiped his face and his eyes and smiled at the other boy.

"Okay, Sasuke. I…I won't. I won't cry." He said and let go of Sasuke's hand. The other boy didn't say anything, but kept his head turned away. Naruto bowed and smiled.

"I have to go now for a little while. I'll be back really soon. So don't freak out on me again, or Iruka-sensei."

I'll take care of you.

"Okay, Sasuke?"

I really do want to.

"…Hai."

"Good boy." Naruto said gently, touched Sasuke's hand one more time before exiting the room. Sasuke's black eyes glanced after him.

He had wished that other boy would hold his hand a little longer.

* * *

A/N: There you have it, my dear readers! Reviews, lots of reviews, if you please.  And don't you agree that Sasuke deserved a little fluff after all that suffering…don't worry, Naruto-kun will be back soon. Now I'll have to go. And please, go review my other stories – I know there aren't much, but... ;;'

I love you all.


	10. Chapter 9: Hold On

Hello, hello, again. So did anyone miss me:o Well. France… it was a lot of fun but it was soo… HOT. 39 Celsius at it's worst… Geez… x.x we did some shopping and stuff, but, yeah. It was nice. And we saw some nice looking guys. Teehehee. And lots of Minis. You know, Mini Cooper… that car… I LOVE IT! It's just so cute. 3 Okay. Sorry. Too much blabbering.

And I have almost played Kingdom hearts 1! (Well… almost…there's still lots of things to do, but…yeah.)

Songs listened during writing:

Gackt - Redemption

Disturbed feat. Godsmack – Blood In My Eyes

Danny Elfman – This is Halloween (Ah, I am such a Halloween Town-addict!)

Krypteria – Victoriam Speramus (http/ www. youtube. com/watch?v 13FA67CzTEc&search Death20 Note20Anime just remove the spaces. Awesomeness.)

And by the way… I hope you don't murder me for putting the Sharingan here. Huh? Serious plot? Where did you goooooo? ;;;; Cough. (Sorry, Kishimoto-sama, I'm stealing your ideas again!)

* * *

'_Naruto! Come quick! There's something wrong with Sasuke and I can't settle him down myself!'_

_What in the world did he mean by 'something wrong…' _Naruto wondered, as he locked his bike and walked to the front doors and pushed them open. It had taken a little reassuring, but he had managed to make Gaara stay back with a gentle smile. Yes, his redheaded friend had wanted to come with him, just because he was worried about him. And as much as Naruto appreciated it, he was certain that Gaara shouldn't do that, Sasuke was the one thing that mattered now. The blond boy looked around him and pulled his scarf a little tighter. It wasn't that warm in this quite early Saturday morning, when Iruka's call had wakened him. If the call had been about anyone else, the tall blond would have maybe just continued sleeping, but…Sasuke was a totally different case and the raven-haired skinny boy mattered more to Naruto than he himself realized.

He couldn't help but be worried about the other boy. He went straight to the white door of that white room and knocked.

"Iruka-sensei?" He heard silent footsteps, rustling of sheets and then the door opened to reveal a worried-looking Iruka. He let Naruto to step in. As they had promised, they had kept Sasuke in the same room than before and Naruto was glad to notice that the blindfold was still gone. But what worried him now was the oxygen mask covering the lower half of Sasuke's pretty face and all those wires going from his skeleton-thin arms, making the patient seem even smaller. Naruto gazed at the dark-haired boy for a second before hurrying to his side.

Sasuke was shaking lightly and was covered in a thin layer of sweat. Naruto saw his long eyelashes flutter and saw…what? Had he really seen a glimpse of _red _between those eyelids?

"Yes. _Red eyes. _It is…the…Sharingan." Iruka's voice said next to him. Without the blond boy's knowledge, he had moved next to them. Bright blue eyes stared at him.

"It's called a bloodline limit. And because the Uchiha clan is no more, Sasuke is the only one who has it. It comes out when he's feeling some powerful feeling, like rage. I don't know exactly what it does, but I think the Uchihas knew how to control it. It gives them a greater power too. You see, Sasuke tried to break these chains again. He went totally mad about something and yelled so loud that I thought his voice would break for sure. I'm so worried about him, Naruto. And so are you, I can see it." Iruka said quietly and Naruto nodded, smiling a little. He took Sasuke's trembling hand into his own and sighed. He reached out his free hand and let his fingertips slightly touch one white cheek. Sasuke flinched and a whimper escaped from him. Naruto kneeled down next to the bed and gently, slowly caressed Sasuke's cheek, trying to calm this wounded soul, trying to chase those nightmares away with a simple, light touch. He would be certain to make sure that Sasuke would get better, that he would be able to live again. And he certainly didn't need any more nightmares about ghosts from the past. They were history now, and will stay like that.

Sasuke whimpered again and suddenly, his eyes were wide open. But they were red like blood and when he turned to stare at Naruto, the latter's eyes widened. He was sure that the other boy didn't recognize him at all.

"You…you! Let me go!" Sasuke screeched immediately and started to writhe around. His hands twitched and a low growl escaped from his throat.

"Let me out of here! Who are you, who are you!" Naruto grabbed the other boy's hands and kept them from reaching out to rip his own skin to shreds.

"Sasuke! Calm down!" Sasuke screamed his protests, his red eyes wildly spinning around in his head, him staring at nothingness, seeing things that Naruto was sure the boy didn't want to see.

"Where? Where is he! Where is he!" He yelled again and again, fighting against the blond boy's grip with all of his power.

"Let me go!"

"Sasuke, please…" Naruto's hands had started to shake. Sasuke writhed, biting his lip and feeling blood drip down his chin, red eyes so large, so wide. Naruto was at loss, like the other boy didn't even know where he was, where somebody was, where somebody he wanted to see was. Too much, just too much. Sasuke's voice was dry and thin, like he had been yelling all the time, all the time in his head and now out loud.

"S-save me…" Tears had started to fall from his open, wide eyes and his voice had turned into a pained whisper. And to Naruto's relief, he saw how to red color of his eyes faded in to the beautiful, deep darkness. And then those eyelids fluttered close.

"Save me…I don't…k-know…. where I am…N…Na…save…me…_Na…ru…to_…I can't…find you…" Sasuke whispered quietly and another single tear fell, his hands trying to rise once again. Naruto's blue eyes widened. _He said…my name. _But he…with a deep sigh, the blond boy leaned a little closer, touched the white cheek, wiped the tears away.

"Sasuke…open your eyes, please. I'm right here, right here. Open your eyes…" Naruto whispered, silently removing the oxygen mask and noticing with worry, how Sasuke's breathing rasped in his throat.

"Sasuke…" Naruto said again.

Iruka backed away from the room, giving the two the peace they needed. Naruto didn't even notice him leaving, all of his concentration on the other boy, his fingers still slightly touching the other white cheek, other grabbing the other skinny hand gently.

Sasuke's eyelashes fluttered and opened finally.

He stared at the ceiling for a while, blinking because for a moment the room seemed to be too full of light.

He turned his head and stared at Naruto, his skinny body trembling.

He blinked. Naruto smiled and backed away a little, although not letting of Sasuke's hand. The raven-haired boy looked a little confused, then his black eyes widened.

"Na…" He started and coughed, but never let his gaze leave Naruto.

"_Naruto?" _He hesitated, like he really didn't believe what he was seeing. The blond smiled at him again and nodded, suddenly feeling more relieved that Sasuke actually recognized him, actually said his name. Sasuke opened his mouth a little more but then turned his head away, not really knowing what to say.

Naruto's smile grew, but he knew that other must feel very uncertain and confused, so he didn't dare to touch him any way other than just holding his hand lightly, his thumb caressing the skin that was still so cold.

Sasuke turned his head to stare at the ceiling, staring at the white emptiness of it, just staring. Naruto's smile faded and he looked around the room too.

It was so white. So…pure white it hurt his blue eyes and made him rub them with his free hand. Sasuke seemed to have calmed down, so he let go of his hand to rub his eyes with both hands, not noticing the way Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment, like he was in pain. Which he probably was, the way he sighed, the way he breathed, the raspy sound his breathing made in his throat…Naruto had to remind himself that this person was sick. This person was horribly, horribly sick and as young as him, barely seventeen, this mess of long white limbs and bluish-black hair and white skin and dark eyes so full of pain. Naruto wanted to hold him so badly and rubbed his eyes again to chase the tears away. Those damn tears, threatening to show up! And he didn't want Sasuke to see them.

- - - - - - - -

Two hours later, Naruto was sitting next to Iruka and the two patients he had come to like: Sasori, who was currently trying to keep Deidara from climbing on him, and the wild blonde, who was giggling and having so much fun. Naruto sipped his tea and smiled a little, and then turning his head towards Iruka, who smiled back.

"Their condition is so much better than last time I visited, isn't it?"

"Yes…even Deidara-kun has lost a part of his obsession with bombs…" Iruka laughed a little and watched with almost fatherly expression as Sasori lazily pushed Deidara away and the latter still laughed. They watched the two play for a while, before Naruto had the feeling that Iruka wanted to talk about something else…like the Uchiha survivor.

"Okay. What?" Naruto put down his teacup and stared at Iruka with a grim expression. Deidara had climbed next to Sasori on the couch and was now currently poking his snoring companion. Izumo was keeping an eye of them, not noticing Naruto and Iruka at all.

Iruka hesitated.

"It's just that…even though he doesn't seem so…mad – if you forgive me for using that word – anymore, he's still so…" Naruto shook his head to prevent him from talking anymore.

"I know. He suffers from such a terrible trauma that he still barely is able to keep from flinching whenever I even touch him." Naruto smiled a little, scratching his head.

"I said I'd help him. And I'm going to stick to that promise. A promise is a promise, you know. And I really _do_ want to help him. It's not fair that somebody has to be locked in that room. And even though the blindfold has been now taken off, it's just…not enough. He…" Before Naruto could continue, he heard something. Like a voice, _singing. _It couldn't be…

"Oh shit." They rose from the table immediately. Even Izumo had turned his head to look.

"Where are you going?"

"To Uchiha-san. Please keep an eye out for those two, Izumo-kun." Iruka bowed – like he always did – and followed Naruto away from the room.

"…_So insignificant…sleeping dormant deep inside of me…"_

Sasuke was sitting on the bed, hanging his head, his bangs covering his face. And he was singing. That dreadful, creepy song again. He tugged his hands, but the chains prevented him from raising them too much. He didn't seem to even notice the movement. As his black eyes slowly turned to Naruto, the latter's eyes widened.

Sasuke froze. The song died in his throat.

He didn't see Naruto. He saw his big brother standing there, before Sasuke blinked and it was Naruto again.

Still, the dark-haired trembled and looked so ghostly and fragile while sitting on his bed that Naruto just had the strange urge to cover him up with white blankets – why was everything so white in this room, blankets, curtains, windows, walls, ceiling…_Sasuke – _and cover those eyes so full of fear. Even when they looked at him.

Sasuke's head was spinning again and for a while he forgot where he was or who he was. The real world seemed to be somewhere so far away and the memories - oh God the memories! – were coming back with full force.

He tugged on his chains again and started to writhe, closing his eyes for a moment – no, it only made his visions worse – and then opening them, seeing hands reaching out from the white walls – no, walls tainted with the worst and the most beautiful color in the world – reaching out for _him, _screaming his name. Sasuke started to whimper, he looked at Naruto again and saw Itachi, he saw Itachi Uchiha, the feared killer that _he had killed _and couldn't help but whimper pathetically and try to escape because he was so scared!

Naruto stepped closer and Sasuke flinched, letting out a small, painful yell. Iruka grabbed Naruto's shoulder.

"It's better if you don't…go." The man said quietly. Sasuke whimpered again and tried to hit something, tried to fight the ghosts from the past, tried desperately to break those thin hands reaching for him, tried to tell himself that Itachi was _dead, dead, dead!_

_It didn't work._

Naruto bit his lip but stayed back, as Iruka stepped closer. Sasuke winced and couldn't prevent his tears from falling. And Naruto turned his head away, because he saw the little boy Sasuke had been…saw the little boy he still was. He closed his hands in fists.

_Why, Sasuke?_

Sasuke trembled and looked at him again, still seeing Itachi standing there, smiling at him before he killed his parents.

His heart was broken. His soul was broken.

Itachi had broken them. He had taken his own heart away; hiding his black soul behind the gentle smile he only gave to his little brother. _Before he touched him and made him stuck in the body of a teenager, while his broken soul was that of a little boy._

'_It's not Itachi, he's dead!' _Sasuke yelled in his head and trembled so badly that when he bit his lip, Naruto and Iruka were scared that he would bite through it.

'_It's Naruto…it's…Naruto…' _Sasuke started to cry, hanging his head again down the way he had when the two had first barged in to the room.

"Sasuke…can you… see me?"

Naruto stepped closer and looked at Sasuke with worried blue eyes. Slowly those black eyes stared back at him. Sasuke's lips trembled. He tried. He tried so hard to tell his messed up mind that his big brother was dead – that big brother that loved him and that big brother who had made him feel like a whore – but still…the image was blurry and then he saw Naruto staring at him. And then he faded and it was Itachi again.

Itachi trying to say something, _nothing _in his red eyes.

'_What? Niisan…speak louder…is it you? Or is it that mad killer that you aren't, I know you aren't…'_

'_Little brother.' _

Itachi only said before his image faded and Sasuke saw Naruto again, the other boy this time standing beside his bed. Dark eyes stared at blue before they closed.

Naruto barely had time to catch him before his head would have banged at the sides of the bed.

The blond boy sighed deeply before moving to sit at the edge of the bed and finally, very carefully pulling the smaller boy against him, circling his arms around him. Naruto buried his face in to the mess of black hair and closed his eyes, feeling them burn with tears. He shook, even though he felt Iruka's hand on his hair, trying to calm him down with a fatherly manner. He just held the smaller, thinner boy and didn't have to strength to hold back his tears anymore.

His quiet sobbing was the only sound in the sad silence of the white room keeping inside Sasuke's dreams, Sasuke's chance to live ever again.

* * *

There you have your hug, boy. This chapter was surprisingly hard to write. Sigh. Really, now…I don't really know what to do next… 


	11. Chapter 10: Your Rain

Hello!

Animecon is over and I'm so so sad. It was so much fun and I met a lot of new and old friends. And my L cosplay got so much attention. Thank you! Awwwh. I love all those guys there. Argh, I have such an urge to cosplay as someone from Kingdom Hearts 2 now! (Riku is such a good option. I need money…give me money… . )

I am really, really tired. I'm kinda depressed 'cause of my personal life and school and all that stuff but you don't need to worry about such things. Only now I kind of thought that I should write the 10th chapter, so here it is. I'm tired. Half of this was actually written in school so I don't know if it's as good as you think it would be. But…hey, I hope you like, as always. This is the result for my angry, tired tears and Sasuke-bashing. And finally, some love for our little avenger.

He deserves a little, you know.

Songs listened:

E Nomine – Schwarze Sonne

Kenichi Suzumura & Yoshinori Fujita – Bokura no Love Style

Shakira – Eyes Like Yours

Silent Hill - Room of Angel

(More Kimimaro, more (hopefully) creepiness and more Sasuke-bashing and even more NaruSasu-fluff in this chapter. I have warned you!)

-----------

----

"Kimimaro-kun, are you awake?" Iruka whispered as he put the key to the lock and opened the slightly rusty door. The whole week had been such a big mess – with Sasuke still not showing any signs of recovery, on the contrary, he was screaming and yelling and otherwise stormed around like a mad poor boy he was – so the brown-haired man was really tired. He blinked and saw the patient quietly sleeping. Iruka sighed. He hadn't slept for two nights other than few little 15-minute naps, which did absolutely no good. So it was no wonder that the poor man yawned as he stared sleepily at Kimimaro for few tired seconds before finally sighing and deciding to come back a little later. Kimimaro had been acting even weirder than ever, so he was a little worried. But yeah…he should stop this useless worrying. Iruka was always worrying about anyone and anything and…with a sigh; he stared at Kimimaro's calm, white face for a moment, before hearing a yell from the corridor.

"Iruka! It's Sasuke! Come quick!" It was all that Izumo – who was waving his hands like crazy -, had to say to make Iruka turn around. He felt his headache coming back with full force as he retreated and ran, hastily putting the door shut behind him.

Unfortunately, there was no sign of that clicking sound that indicated that the door was really…_locked._

Poisonous green eyes suddenly snapped open in the blinding darkness and a twisted smile emerged on the skeleton-like face. Kimimaro giggled quietly as he heard distant shouting and a long animalistic cry that belonged… _("Yes, Orochimaru-sama…") _…to no other than _that boy_, his big brother's broken doll. And Kimimaro started to giggle.

That night, Sasuke's dreams were restless, silent nightmares of a broken home. _His _home, bloody bodies around and around and little Sasuke running through corridors to find his beloved parents and his beloved big brother. Yawning Kotetsu, who was sitting next to the door with a set of keys hanging from his belt – the door could only be opened with those, from both in and outside -, was watching Sasuke mutter in his sleep with tired eyes. He hadn't gotten that much sleep either. He knew it could be really dangerous if he fell asleep now, but…he was so sick of this. As much as he feared and pitied the boy sleeping in front of him, he was irritated that every freaking day and night they could hardly sleep an inch – they had had to send Iruka home, so it was just him and Izumo – because of Sasuke. But…well…maybe if he slept a little…it wouldn't hurt anyone. _Are you sure, Kote-chan? _Asked the little, mischievous voice in the man's head but he ignored it. With that instant, the grumpy man's head drooped forward and he was in deep sleep.

Only few minutes later, there were…

_Footsteps._

Kotetsu mumbled in his sleep but didn't wake up. Sasuke winced.

_Knock, knock. _

Someone knocked on the door. Sasuke whimpered, but didn't wake up. Someone knocked again and this time, black eyes snapped open. Sasuke sat on his bed and looked around the room, only seeing moonlight seeping through the thin black curtains of the small window and Kotetsu quietly sleeping on the chair. Sasuke bit his lip.

_What…?_

_Knock, knock._

Sasuke bit his lip a little harder and his dark eyes widened.

"Who-who's there?"

_Knock, knock. _

"Naruto…? Is that you, is it?" He didn't even notice how hopeful he sounded. He hadn't seen the other boy for a few days now and…he gulped when he heard a really quiet screeching sound from the door.

"I-Iruka?" Sasuke blinked. There was no sound.

"…Who are you?"

Someone giggled. Sasuke froze. He didn't notice his own trembling; as he got up from the bed and let his bare feet touch the solid, cold floor. He winced and creeped closer to the door. _Knock, knock, knock. _The raven-haired boy bit his lip as he touched the cold door, almost feeling the other one's gaze through it. Although he was shaking, he turned his head and saw the keys hanging from Kotetsu's belt. Widened, fearful black eyes looked at Kotetsu, then at the door – there was now a sound that was like a cat clawing something cold and hard, a sound that made his blood freeze – and reached out his hand and took the key chain. He had to stop for a moment, for he heard a giggle behind the door and felt like his whole body was cold as ice.

More scratching sounds, like a cat sharping its claws.

He feared that the trembling of his hands would wake the man up, but he only mumbled something and turned his head. Sasuke slid the key as silently as he could to the lock and with a click the door opened.

At that instant, Sasuke froze.

Kimimaro grinned down at him, showing his gleaming, white teeth through his dirty, white bangs. He didn't say anything.

He didn't have to.

Sasuke's lower lip started to tremble.

"_You…" _He pointed a finger at the man, who hadn't moved. Kimimaro's grin only went wider. With a little squeak, Sasuke grasped the door handle and tried to push it shut again, but long, white fingers appeared to the crack and pushed it back open. All the power fell from Sasuke like water down the drain as he stared at the frightening face of the grinning Kimimaro.

He stepped back.

Kimimaro stepped forward. With a tiny, pathetic shriek, Sasuke tried to run, but unfortunately… he was not that fast.

White fingers circled their way around his wrists and the next thing Sasuke knew, he was laying on his back on the chilly, cold floor and only few inches from his face, the white-haired mad man was grinning his devilish smile. And his other hand was covering the dark-haired boy's mouth the second Kimimaro thought he was going to yell. Sasuke whimpered and trembled horribly. Frustrated tears fell from his eyes and his feet twitched as he even subconsciously tried to get away.

"You're not going to scream, aren't you…?" Kimimaro took his hand away and Sasuke breathed freely again, frightened black eyes searching for somebody to help.

_Na-Naruto…where… are you… Naruto…_

They both didn't dare to move, as Kotetsu murmured something again and almost fell from his chair. His eyes blinked a couple of times, before it seemed like he had fallen asleep again. Kimimaro had been staring at Sasuke all the time.

"Ssshh...It's okay, it's okay…" The latter whimpered, as he felt Kimimaro's weight on him, only two thin layers of cloth separating two skinny bodies. And Sasuke was scared. He was so scared. Kimimaro wiped his tears away with few bony fingers and the raven-haired boy flinched. The other man's touch was so cold, like his…like _his _had been…

"What your big brother did to you…"

Kimimaro started and giggled.

"No…" More tears fell from Sasuke's eyes.

"Naruto…" He whispered and felt one of Kimimaro's fingers on his lips, silencing him.

"I mean… you did enjoy _that, _didn't you? What if…" The green-eyed man's breath was just a little bit too close to Sasuke's neck. And why was his other hand holding his wrist hardly down on the floor again? Why was his second hand caressing his cheek, caressing his hair and drawing a thin line of blood on his neck.

"Naruto…h-help me…" Sasuke whimpered and twitched again. Other man's weight felt like a tons of rocks, tons of despair and helplessness. Sasuke hated the feeling.

"No…"

"_Yesss…your bones… I want, I want, I want…your beautiful blood…" _Kimimaro grinned down at him again and Sasuke stared back, black eyes impossibly wide with fear. He raised his free hand and tried to push the other man away.

"No…no!" He was starting to panic. Kimimaro bit his neck, making him shriek. Sasuke tried to claw his arm with his free hand.

"Let go of me…"

"Let's do it again…_otoouto-kun…" _

Kimimaro wasn't there anymore, it was his brother's face, his brother's voice, his brother's fingers slipping inside his hospital gown…Sasuke snapped.

He started to scream. Louder and more fearfully than ever. _No, no, no!_ This couldn't be happening! _Go away, go away, go away! Leave me alone, finally, leave me alone! _Sasuke screamed, he didn't know if he had said it aloud, but it didn't matter.

"_Help me!"_

Kotetsu was awake that instant and was pulling the taller Kimimaro away from Sasuke, who just laid on the floor, screaming.

"Orochimaru-sama wants him… _I want him_…his big brother wants him… life's just that cruel, isn't it?" Kimimaro started to laugh like he had heard the best joke ever. Kotetsu had troubles holding him, as he reached out his white hand towards Sasuke.

"Orochimaru-sama…I'm trying, I'm trying! He's running away! Stupid boy…stupid, little boy!" Kimimaro blabbered, the never-fading grin on his face.

"Izumo!" Kotetsu yelled.

"I'm needing a little help here!" Kimimaro was struggling, wide green eyes shining with clear madness. Sasuke had stopped screaming and was now curled into a little ball at the floor, sobbing soundly.

"Izumo!" Kotetsu yelled again and this time his partner ran to the room. Together they managed to give the white haired man the infection he needed and when Kimimaro went drowsy, Izumo was left to take him to his room and check that he certainly locked the door. When he came back, together they lifted Sasuke from the floor and when he tried to claw their eyes out – sadly, quite literally -, they tied his hands again and his wounds given by Kimimaro. Sasuke sobbed and whined, wanting Naruto here, right now. The two men put the oxygen mask on his face and after a short moment, the boy had fallen asleep and Izumo and Kotetsu could finally sit down, their backs against the now surely locked door.

The clock ticked five minutes over two in the morning.

"So…" Izumo started.

"So." Kotetsu continued, knowing quite well what was coming and feeling ashamed.

"What the hell happened?" The other man asked, glaring at his partner, raising his eyebrows. Kotetsu bit his lip and scratched his beardless chin, not looking at his friend.

"Well…you know…I kinda…fell asleep…I don't know how the hell that creep even got out of his room, much less got in…here…" His voice faded as he realized his keys missing. Finally he spotted them on the floor right on the spot where he had found Kimimaro half-raping Sasuke.

"Oh, shit." He took the keys and sighed. Izumo shook his head.

"And, oh yeah…by the way, I think we should call that kid…Naruto was it, in the morning, ne, Izu-chan?" Kotetsu finally managed to grin weakly at his friend, his brown eyes revealing how tired he really was. Izumo stared at him for few moments before sighing.

"Yare, yare…it can't be helped. That sunny kid really seems to be the only one able to really calm our dear little mister Uchiha here down…" They both looked at Sasuke and Kotetsu nodded.

"Yeah."

And they watched over their smallest patient carefully the whole night. Even though Kotetsu snored for a little while, only to wake five minutes later and snore again after a while it took Izumo to convince that Kimimaro wasn't there anymore.

---

When Naruto finally arrived again, two days later straight after school – tired, but happy, even through the ever-pouring rain -, he was met by Iruka, who had dark rings under his eyes. He greeted him without excitement, only smiled a little at the tall boy, who was like a wet puppy straight from the rain.

"How is he?" Naruto asked first, concerned blue eyes wanting an answer right away. Iruka shook his head with a grim expression.

"Badly…we have to be extra careful now, so we don't scare him." The pony-tailed man managed a small smile, before turning around and waving for Naruto to follow him. He opened the locked door and found Kurenai sitting on the chair next to the bed.

"If you're wondering, I sent the boys to sleep, they were practically strangling each other from the lack of sleep…oh, hey Naru-chan." The red-eyed woman said in her quiet voice and smiled at the boy, who grinned widely back and then turned his gaze to the bed and taking Kurenai's place.

"Sasuke…" The raven-haired boy's eyes were open, but he was staring at the wall, bandages around his neck and gauze covering the back of his head where he had hit it on the floor. The only indication that he was alive, was the slight rise and fall of his chest under the covers. Naruto turned his head to look at Iruka.

"What happened?" The blond slipped his bigger hand to cover Sasuke's without even looking at the other. Iruka sighed and looked at the ground.

"It was my fault…I accidentally…didn't lock Kimimaro's door properly…and he…he got out." The man's brown eyes were tired and sad and miserable as he looked at Naruto.

"I'm sorry. I know how much you do want to help Sasuke, we _all _want to, but…"

"Nah, don't apologize. I know you're tired and you didn't do it on purpose." That seemed to be a good enough explanation for Naruto, whose attention was already on Sasuke. When he tried to touch the other boy's cheek, black eyes snapped back at him and other tied hand scratched his wrist.

"Where…were you?" Sasuke sniffled; his black eyes were like those of a little boy's. Naruto raised his eyebrows, his hand barely touching Sasuke's, but the other boy still shook.

"Where were you? I…I…I yelled for you, come help me, come help me, but you…you…didn't…come…" Sasuke blinked as more tears gathered to his eyes.

"What do you mean, Sasuke? Last night… of course, I was sleeping, if that's what…" He was suddenly interrupted, when Sasuke shrieked and tried to cover his ears, but couldn't. Naruto looked around the room – already forgetting that Iruka and Kurenai even existed – and then back at Sasuke.

Rain poured on the roof.

Ah, that's right.

Naruto reached out his hand and gently caressed Sasuke's hair.

"Sshh, silly. It's just the rain." He hadn't moved his blue eyes away from black ones, not even for a little moment. And Sasuke stared at him, shaking, his eyes pleading for reassurance. Naruto smiled a little.

"Yeah…the rain won't hurt you. Actually…" He bit his lip as an idea came into his mind. He turned to look at Iruka.

"Can I take him outside?"

There was few moments of silence, before Iruka's eyes widened.

"O-Out?"

"Yeah, out. I think it would do him some good. And I really want to show him that rain won't hurt him, that silly boy." Naruto smiled gently at Sasuke, who blinked at him and then turned his gaze away, like ashamed. The taller boy grinned and used his best puppy-eyes-look at Iruka, who twitched for few seconds before shrugging.

"O-okay…but only at the door."

"Yeah, yeah, I got ya!"

And then Naruto turned to look at Sasuke again, who had been staring at both of them, not really understanding what the conversation had been about.

"Sasuke…I'm going to take you outside for a little while, how does that sound?" Sasuke blinked.

"O-out…? What does it mean…to…go… out?" The raven-haired boy's voice sounded so tiny. Naruto grinned.

"You'll see. Guys, could you help me…" He waved at the chains holding Sasuke's wrists. Kurenai and Iruka opened them and Naruto helped Sasuke first to sit before helping him to stand. He was kind of an pathetic sight, with a slightly overgrown sterile white trousers and a too big white shirt. Naruto took his hand into his own and started to walk at the door. Iruka opened it for them and followed after them with Kurenai as they walked down the corridor to the front doors. Sasuke stared around him with widening black eyes, his skinny hand squeezing Naruto's almost too hard.

"We're almost there, Sasuke, look." Naruto pushed the front doors open and then they were outside.

First thing Sasuke noticed was the wind. Even though it was cold, he still kind of…liked it. It felt freezing, but not too freezing. His black eyes widened. The second thing was the rain. Rain, that was falling hard from the sky, cleaning the ground and giving everything new energy. Naruto looked at the other boy and felt the urge to hug him again. That little boyish, wide-eyed look was actually cute. Sasuke stared.

And stared. And blinked. So this… is what it felt like. He felt a tear on his cheek. It had been a night like this when this all had happened. But this… didn't feel scary or creepy or anything like that. Maybe it was because of the warm hand grasping his, maybe because this was a normal, modern building, not a creepy old Japanese house. Who knows.

When surprisingly the rain fell down a little harder, Sasuke inched closer to Naruto, who was watching the rain with a small smile on his lips. The patient looked at the taller boy, the looked down and then he raised his free to grasp only a little of Naruto's bright orange shirt's sleeve. His arm touching Naruto's.

The blond boy felt someone tug his sleeve and looked down at Sasuke, who was holding his hand with his other and just a little bit of his sleeve with other, black eyes wide like a little boy's, which he really still kind of was. And Naruto couldn't help but grin, before turning to look at the rain again and also enjoying the slight breeze on his face. Little steps with Sasuke, but every last one of them was important.

Iruka, who watched the two boys from inside, turned to walk away. He was sure that Naruto – if not him, then who? – Was the one who really saw deep inside Sasuke, saw the hurt little boy he truly was and was able to really help him escape the pains of his past. It would take a long time, but Naruto seemed to truly care about Sasuke and caring didn't know the bounds of time.

---

I really should go to bed now. Hope you liked. Love you. Byebye.


	12. Chapter 11: Dearly Beloved

Okays. The thing is, I haven't updated this story for like… long time. I apologize. I am really, really sorry. School and stressing over it has taken all of my time. And when I finally get to the computer, I'm just too tired to even think about everything. This period is straining all my powers, I am now coughing my lungs out and feeling completely and utterly like shit.

At least, this story is finally taking a happier turn. And maybe Sasuke will be heading faster towards recovery…. Anyway, I hope you don't mind if I'm moving a little fast. My imagination has died few days ago. Sigh. And by the way… although I said this is going to be NaruSasu (and already is… kind of) do you want this to eventually be shounen-ai? I mean… do you want them to be anything other than really, really (and I mean really) close friends? Although I think a kiss could be kind of cute, but I can't do that for… a long time yet. Sasuke would totally hate me. Sniffle.

I listened few Muse's song while writing this. It kind of fit. And Lifehouse's Everything. Just listen to it. A great song and pretty lyrics. And by the way, people, enjoy Kakashi's return… :D And by the way… I don't really remember if I said that Naruto lived in his own apartment or in the school dorms (sorry), but I think we have to settle for him living in his own apartment. How else could he… okay, you have the read the chapter.

And I'm sorry; I know I moved fast in this chapter. Like I said, my imagination died.

* * *

"You can't believe what happened to me today, _gosh, _I'm so pissed! Naruto said as soon as he got in Sasuke's on one Monday afternoon evening. The patient was sitting on his bed, his hands still tied and face pale, but his black eyes were following Naruto's every movement. The blonde was pacing back and forward and walking in a little circle, fuming to himself about stupid teachers and stupid students. It scared Sasuke a little, but the boy didn't move, just stared at the other boy. The blonde sighed and tried to calm himself, although it seemed to be hard.

"That…. That teacher! He gave me extra homework… extra! Just because I came a little late… he hates me, he totally hates me…" Blondie pouted for a while, before biting his lip and managing a smile towards Sasuke, who had started to look a little concerned.

"Oh… nah, you probably don't even care that much about my irritating teachers and equally awful essays and all that shit, so why I am bragging this much. Dunno. I just think it's already kind of a habit… to come here and pour my life to you. Although you probably don't even listen to me…" Blabber, blabber and blabber. Well, Naruto always spoke too much, Sasuke thought, but he didn't say it aloud. He liked it when Naruto spoke so much. Nothing happened in his life, so it was kind of refreshing to here that at least something happened outside the hospital. And Naruto's voice always had an edge of happiness in it, a light that managed to warm Sasuke's already icy heart.

Naruto reached for Sasuke's white hand and caressed it with his thumb, after he had moved to sit at the edge of the bed, like he had done for last few weeks. Sky-blue eyes gazed warmly into black ones.

"Okay, enough of my life. What about you? How have you been? I'm really, really sorry I haven't been able to visit for few days, but I here I am now. So tell me now?" Sasuke stared at him for a while, his thoughts a little lost because Naruto's hand was still caressing his own. Although a small touch, it sent a small tingle through his body. Sasuke shrugged and turned his head to his lap.

"I…" He started, finding himself unable to look into Naruto's too bright eyes.

"Well…I've had a few nightmares…but…b-but I've felt a little better." He said uncertainly, shrugging again. Naruto's grin had appeared back to his face and now it turned instantly wider.

"But that's great, Sasuke!" The dark-haired boy turned his head so Naruto wouldn't see the slight red colour on his cheeks.

"I… I guess."

"It is… what has Iruka said about that?" Now Sasuke looked at him, uncertainty still in his eyes.

"Err…I-I… he… he says it's a good thing. I'm not that…scared either anymore." He said quietly, his voice still hoarse from the lack of use. Naruto's fingers hadn't let go of his hand and Sasuke noticed that he didn't want that to happen. He bit his lip. How could he say it aloud? He…_was _scared. Although he hadn't seen any dreams or illusions that would have included… that man it. That he had called his brother. Sasuke shivered. His teeth bit his lower lip again, this time so much harder that the boy winced, eyes once again turned towards his blanket. What in the world was this wave of sadness that suddenly covered his entire being?

"Na…" He didn't realize there was this strange wetness on his face.

"Naruto…" Sasuke whimpered quietly, tugging at the ties holding down his hands. Naruto looked at him, raising his other hand and wiping away the tears from the other pale cheek. Sasuke blinked, not looking at him, but trying to tug his wrists free again. Naruto started to open the ties, and when he had done that, he pulled the smaller boy closer, the only expression in his face was empathy. Sasuke felt miserable. Was he really getting better, was he?

Then why did he miss the little smile his brother used to give him when he was a kid?

Sasuke raised his thin hands and grabbed the front of Naruto's shirt, before burying his face into his chest. Naruto didn't say anything, just circled his arms around that thin, slender body that trembled, and caressed his back. Words would never be enough to comfort Sasuke, just that quiet, tender sound of their mingled breathing. Sasuke never cried loudly, his sobbing you could hardly hear. The slight red tint on his cheeks, the trembling of his shoulders only proved what the closeness Naruto provided him now did to him. Had it only been two months – or what, Sasuke wasn't so sure – that Naruto had first stepped inside this hospital? It felt like an eternity and already Sasuke hoped the other boy would…

His thoughts were interrupted with the clicking sound from the door.

"Naruto, you here – oh…" Iruka had opened the door to find the tall boy holding the smaller one. Naruto raised his head and smiled at the gentle man, loosening his grip on Sasuke. The other boy blinked when Naruto laid him down on the bed, the patient's thin hands gripping the sheets. Naruto grinned at him and made Sasuke turn his head so that his hair covered his eyes. Naruto didn't move from his side, while taking Sasuke's hand in his own again and just holding it. Blue eyes now turned their gaze into Iruka's brown ones.

"So say it, Iruka-sensei, what is it?" Iruka stayed by the door, that one fatherly smile on his face.

"I was looking for you, Naruto. I think we could start Sasuke's rehabilitation soon, what do you say? Will you help us? He's already made so much progress and that's only because of you."

"Do you even have to ask?" Naruto said and grinned. Iruka chuckled.

"That's certainly right, kid." Both Iruka and Naruto's eyes widened, for different reasons. The former went red and backed away from the tall, silverhaired man who had just sneaked his arm around his shoulders.

"Yo." Kakashi said, familiar grin on his face.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto said happily, blue eyes brightening.

"It's me, yeah, and please, kid… just drop the 'sensei', it makes me feel old." Kakashi said in his laid-back-way. Iruka took a deep breath and turned to look at him.

"What are _you _doing here?" Naruto turned his attention to Sasuke, so as not to reveal his mischievous grin so easily.

"What is that, Iruka-san? Do I hear you saying that you're _not _happy to see me?" Kakashi blinked, looking almost honestly surprised. Iruka looked like he was going to say something nasty, when Kakashi bowed.

"I am honestly sorry for causing you any kind of distress, Iruka-san. I just wanted to see this two again." And if I said I wanted to see you too, you would just probably bite my head off and accuse me of being a pervert. Kakashi sighed and tried to appear as innocent as he could. Iruka shrugged.

"Do what you like, but you better not step so close to this room. Sasuke's not used to so many people at the same time… especially when you and your pervert books could be counted as three people." Ouch. Kakashi sighed and gave up.

"Okay, okay…I'll just go wait in the lunch room and say hello to others. Bye, kid. Bye, other kid." Silver-haired man said cheerfully to the teenage boys and was gone. Iruka sighed and then coughed, before starting again.

"So… where was I…"

"You were going to say something about rehabilitation? What are we gonna do?" Naruto asked, hiding his grin. He knew that the one Iruka felt attracted to wasn't actually Kakashi – although could you honestly say that man wasn't good-looking? – but that one patient who liked to doodle strange things. The pony-tailed man looked at him for a moment, before blushing in embarrassment.

"Naruto…"

"Okay, okay, I got that."

"Good. Well… what we are going to do is…well, at least we could…" Iruka trailed of, realizing he hadn't got the slightest clue. Naruto sighed and got off the bed, Sasuke turning his head to look for his warm hand.

"I got that, I got that. At least we could let him walk a bit more, not far, but at least meet the other nurses…and if not talk, then at least listen to other people talk. I mean… other than me, of course. Although I of course count as five, but…" Naruto grinned in a narcissistic way, without actually even meaning it. Iruka nodded.

"We could do that…"

"Err… how about today? Nothing much, just a little stretching of legs, if you get what I mean." Iruka smiled.

"I think it's already lunch time for the others. So Naruto, could you help Sasuke so he may come with us?" Wow, fast action. Naruto turned his attention wholly towards Sasuke, who had listened to the conversation with wonder in his eyes.

"Sasuke… do you want to come with me and Iruka to see other patients?" Sasuke blinked. To see…other patients? He hadn't ever really thought about that. He blinked again, in a confused manner, which made Naruto ruffle his hair.

"Silly boy. Of course here are other patients. They are not going to bite. And I will be with you." Sasuke nodded.

"Okay, I'll take your silence as a yes." As Sasuke sat up, Naruto helped him off from the bed, still grinning at how Sasuke was so much shorter than him. He didn't do much else than holding Sasuke's hand before following Iruka out of the room.

When Sasuke stepped outside to the corridor, his eyes widened a little. It had been so many years since he had actually _seen _anything, so everything felt new. Even though he had only few days ago walked this corridor to the door, but still… He stared around him, and almost didn't notice when Iruka opened the door and stepped inside a room that was a little too bright for his liking. Sasuke hid his face in Naruto's shoulder, not daring to look when he barely noticed there were many… almost five people in the room.

"Good evening, Iruka-sensei! Oh, hello kid!" There were voices and then one approached them. It was a woman's sultry, soft voice. Kurenai ruffled Naruto's hair affectionally before taking note how Sasuke was blinking and staring back at him. The woman looked surprised, before backing away and turning to look at Iruka, who just looked back at her. Kurenai understood almost immediately, so she nodded and turned to smile at both Sasuke and Naruto.

"Sit down. Izumo should be here with the lunch trolley soon." Naruto nodded and grinned before sitting down with Sasuke beside him. Iruka had shut down a few lights, so the room wasn't so bright anymore and Sasuke's sensitive eyes wouldn't hurt. When he finally was able to look clearly around him, he took note of all those people. Kurenai – who he still remembered her name from the night when he was brought here, was a miracle -, the only nurse that was a woman, was sitting beside a sleepy-looking redhead, who was holding a broken doll and seemed to be explaining something in a excited manner, and that spiky-haired man over there… he was looking utterly and completely bored while blowing his gum.

And Kakashi was again looking kind of sad, when Iruka ignored him completely and sat down beside a longhaired blonde man. The latter smiled absent-mindedly at Iruka, before doodling something again on his paper. Sasuke watched all of this with wonder. Really… he hadn't known. He hadn't known at all that there were other people in this hospital… for almost four years, only things in his mind was darkness and how it had eaten everything that was his life. But now…and Sasuke was so confused. Naruto looked at him and couldn't help but smile. That wide-eyed look was just…cute. There was no other word for it. Then there was clanking sound from the door that made Sasuke wince and inch closer to Naruto. They both turned to look. It was only Izumo, who was pushing the trolley and smiling in an apologizing way.

"Sorry for the mess…" Sasori's sleepy look was wiped away when the redhead rose and was led to the nearest small table by Kurenai. The latter quite determined to ignore Kakashi, who was feeling extremely lonely right now. The silverhaired man sat down, sighing. Deidara pushed his drawings away from food's way and started to happily slurp down his soap. Iruka ruffled his blond hair and made the blonde giggle – in a quite girly way, Naruto noted with amusement – before continuing to eat.

* * *

Five weeks later, Naruto had grown even fonder of Sasuke. Every day, he had taken the other boy to the lunchroom, just to see Sasori and Deidara and sometimes that quiet little woman Shizune live and laugh and talk with their nurses. And sometimes doze off like Sasori usually did or make Iruka blush crimson, like Deidara managed to do. All of this was making Sasuke dizzy, but a little… happy. Yeah, happy. That word had been so distant to him, so to use it was strange. Most of it was because of Naruto. The sunny, blabbering boy had been with him almost every day, always talking, always being so happy it made Sasuke wonder how could he. Well, some people just were like that.

And when came the day when Iruka promised Naruto could take him outside again, this time for a short walk, Sasuke felt something strange inside him. He didn't know what the feeling was called, so he ignored it. When Naruto's hand covered his own and he was led outside through the front doors to the cloudy day, he felt…safe.

"Look, Sasuke, there's a squirrel!" Really, the little brown creature was staring at both of the boys with big black eyes. They stared back, Sasuke grabbing Naruto's sleeve with his other hand, not really knowing if he liked the brown little animal anyway.

"Look at that fluffy tail, I can totally imagine how my classmates would go 'awwh' over this." Naruto chuckled and made the little squirrel run away. Sasuke looked at him before turning his gaze at the ground. He had had to borrow someone else's jacket and shoes, since it wasn't so warm outside anymore. And they were all too big for him. So he edged a little closer to Naruto, the other boy seemed to radiate such warmness and happiness that he hoped that he could get a part of that. When they had walked a little while around the hospital and Naruto had pointed out at least five different creatures – not many people walked on this early Sunday morning around here – they approached the back door where Iruka was waiting.

Sasuke tugged Naruto's sleeve and made the other boy stop.

"What is it, Sasuke?" The taller boy asked, calming smile on his face. Sasuke looked up to him, opening his mouth to say something, but felt embarrassed to say it. Naruto raised his other hand and touched his cheek, asking the same question again. Sasuke gulped. He hadn't spoken so much during these few weeks, Naruto had taken care of the talking, but…

"I-I…want to say…" How could he say it aloud? Naruto's grip on his hand tightened reassuringly. Finally Sasuke looked him in the eyes.

"T-thank you." He said quietly, long, dark eyelashes finally covering his eyes and hiding their expression from Naruto as he turned his gaze towards the ground. Naruto blinked and then he grinned.

"Absolutely no problem, Sasuke. I like taking care of you, you know." Although Naruto said that in his mischievous sing-song-voice, he was serious about that. Taking care of the dark-haired boy had become and important part of his life now.

"Boys, would you come in now?" Iruka shouted to them, waving his hand. Naruto waved back.

"We're coming, we're coming!" And he led Sasuke back to inside, but not without the latter starting to miss the gentle breeze on the outside, the curious eyes of the small squirrel on the tree.

And the important part was, that he hadn't thought about anything regarding his past during that little walk outside.

* * *

Although they had slowly made a progress of getting Sasuke used to other people and open spaces and fresh air, the boy still got scared whenever he was alone or it was dark or his eyes were covered some other way. He was just too traumatized to be able recover from his emotional wounds that quickly. And he was only calm with Naruto around. So the blonde boy came as often as he could.

And when time had rolled forward slowly but surely, they made a decision.

It was finally that time, time to let Sasuke go, time to leave behind painful memories from the mental hospital, which had kept the poor boy inside for so long. It took many, many arrangements for that to happen. At least, for where Sasuke was going to leave, how he had to visit many professional people few times a week, how he had to take medicine and stuff. But eventually Tsunade and Iruka – mostly them, but Naruto had his word in too – decided for the best. Naruto lived in the small apartment near his school and it would be best if Sasuke could live with him, at least, because Naruto was the only person the former mental patient seemed to trust completely. Iruka promised that one of the nurses in the hospital would come to look out for Sasuke every time Naruto had to go to school; he couldn't actually skip it anyway. Naruto was happy with the arrangement, Sasuke was…nobody could tell how he felt, he was feeling out of it for so long when he heard he was finally going to be out.

…

When the day to move came, Naruto was bouncing up and down in excitement. It was a sunny and warm Saturday morning as he came, wearing long-sleeved bright-orange shirt with the words Idiot And Proud Of It and other equally bright colors. Iruka had been up almost all night, he hadn't got much sleep. As he had suggested, Naruto had brought a few of his own – the smallest he could find – clothes for Sasuke and was now trotting down the corridor to Sasuke's room with a bag on his hands.

"Good morning, Iruka-sensei! Here's the clothes you asked. I don't know if they are gonna fit, but anyway." Naruto said in a sing-song-voice and gave the bag to Iruka, who nodded. Sasuke was standing in the middle of the room, holding now a black shirt with a look of confusion. So…He bit his lip and pale cheeks turned a little red. Iruka smiled and Naruto only chuckled.

"Okay, Sasuke…we are going to let you change in peace." How in the world the atmosphere in the hospital could feel so much different than it had felt before? When Sasuke changed in black shirt and dark blue trousers – they surprisingly where only a little too big for him -, he didn't know how to feel. The hospital had been the only thing that he had called his 'home' for the last few years, so the change was a little frightening.

"You ready?" Naruto peeked inside. Sasuke stared back at him. The blonde grinned.

"Wow. They actually seem to fit…. In some ways, at least." He chuckled and pat Sasuke's shoulder.

"Are we done here?"

"Naruto… you do remember to take this with you? And you do remember that…"

"Iruka." Naruto interrupted and looked at the mother hen with a warm smile. Iruka went red and couldn't help but laugh.

"Sorry… I'm just… I don't know what to do. When I go to take you both to your apartment and leave you there I can do nothing else but worry." Naruto looked at him again and laughed.

"Really now…you are such a mother hen." Sasuke looked at both of them, not really quite following what that was about, tugging at the hem of his new shirt. It felt strange to wear something else than the white hospital gown.

"We are going to be just fine. Besides, Kurenai and Izumo both already promised to come every time I'm in school, right? We can't leave Sasuke alone. Not ever again." There was that tone on his voice again. That tone that made the tingling feeling come back and Sasuke's pale cheeks redden. So…there was somebody who cared.

When they walked outside the hospital, Sasuke had to stop and turn to look back, just few meters away from Iruka's car. Had he really been 14 when he was first brought here? Brother's blood clear on his hand, the smell of death filling his nostrils. How much pain there was inside those walls, how much despair. And how much warmth between the nurses and even those patients whose life Sasuke had followed. He blinked and took in every little trace of the hospital, Iruka waiting in the car, Naruto's hand on his other shoulder, the boy looking at the ground, giving Sasuke time.

And the he saw it.

He was sure of it. Itachi looked back at him. The one who loved him and the one he loved in return. A little whimper escaped from between his lips. The vision felt so real that Sasuke felt his eyes burn with tears. His big brother didn't say anything, just looked at him. There was no trace of the blood-thirsty emotionless beast he had seen that night. No sight of the lusty, hungry demon who had touched him in that dirty way. No. There just stood the faint ghost of Itachi Uchiha, the big brother who hadn't know what to do with his life and had gone wrong. But in the beginning had loved his little brother and still did. And he raised his hand. Sasuke blinked and couldn't stop the tear from falling.

There was that little smile that was only meant for him. That smile from the person that had protected him when he was bullied in school or when mother or father had argued and Itachi had always said that everything would be fine.

Sasuke raised his hand too. The transparent figure seemed to start to faint.

"_Goodbye."_

It was gone. And Sasuke lowered his gaze, biting his poor lip again. He knew he would never ever see or hear his brother again and didn't know if he should be sad or happy. After all, Itachi had been the one to mess up his life. But he had also been the one to make his childhood a happy one before that one night. But when a bright smile was directed to him, Sasuke knew.

This was a start for something… new.

---

God that was something… hope you liked as much as you liked before. I like Sasuke in this fic, really… (what a narcissistic way of saying it. Sorry.)


	13. Chapter 12: Ordinary Days

I know it's been such a terribly long time since I updated. And I am sorry. I've been busy and all that stuff. (School, you know?) And this chapter is probably going to be one of the slowest-paced… what's with Sasuke moving in with Naruto and all. And one of my favourite Naruto-fanfics, Walking Corpse finally made to the epilogue. Gosh. I loved it. (If you haven't read it, go do it NOW.)

And I really don't know that much what you do with supposed criminals being released from mental hospitals after almost four years… so, I'll just make it so that Sasuke has to visit the police from time to time (or something like that) and therapist and the hospital. He can't be left alone at all, I do know you all understand that, don't you.

This is a big step for our dear boy so cheer for him, won't you?

Warnings: this chapter contains Iruka with an apron and determination to clean Naruto's apartment, OOCness from Sasuke (that doesn't surprise anyone, ne?), possessiveness from Naruto, weird nightmares and perhaps a few moments of fluffy NaruSasuness.

Thank you for your patience, my readers. 3

Songs listened:

D'espairsRay – Born & Reddish

Atsushi Tamura – Metronome

Lifehouse – Everything (I seem to be listening this everytime I write Don't Say A Word… somehow, it just remind me of Naruto and Sasuke.)

Katsuyuki Konishi (aka Soubi Agatsuma) & Junko Minagawa (aka Ritsuka Aoyagi) – Entrust. (One of the most beautiful songs on this planet. From Loveless. C'mon, everyone knows Loveless, right?)

- - -

Naruto's apartment was everything what Sasuke had expected. Or at least, what his messy mind had imagined. First of all it was messy. Messy with a big M. No, not messy like: 'oh, there's a shirt under the bed and few trousers over there and schoolbooks there...' no. It looked like Naruto hadn't bothered to clean for a _very_ long time. It seemed like every single piece of cloth he wore was either thrown on the floor or was hanging on the edge of his couch, his TV or on his chair. Old chip bags laid near the modern-looking orange computer – with red flames on its sides – and there were two or three coffee mugs too. Sasuke was so keen on studying Naruto's apartment – or the part of it that he was able to see, that he didn't notice at all when he hit his foot on something hard and stumbled. He grabbed the nearest thing to regain his balance and took a deep breath before blinking. Naruto blinked back and then Sasuke noticed that he had actually grabbed Naruto's arm. The boy let go, coughing, embarrassed. Naruto grinned and patted his head, waving for Iruka to come in too. Then he kneeled – Sasuke carefully backed from him – and pushed his clothes away to reveal a rusty skateboard.

"Oh, geez, so this is where you've been hiding!" The blond beamed and hugged the skateboard, before navigating through the mess of clothes to put it on top of a brown closet. Meanwhile, Iruka had managed to come inside through the mess, he looked around him and started to roll his sleeves, frowning. Naruto's attention was on Sasuke, who stood uncertainly by the door, looking around him. A crash made both boys turn their heads. Naruto's eyes widened with horror and he started to stumble towards the brownhaired man.

"Iruka-sensei! No, no, no! Don't put that away! What the hell are you doing anyway?!" He shouted, lower lip starting to tremble. He could be so childish sometimes. But… but… Naruto stopped. Iruka looked determined, trapped in his hands was a black band shirt with lots of holes.

"This isn't a shirt anymore, it's just a piece of fabric with holes!" Iruka snarled back. It came out angrier than he had wanted, but it worked. Naruto looked almost frightened.

"But… but..!"

"No buts, Naruto!"

Sasuke still stood by the door, his dark eyes following as Naruto argued with Iruka, the latter shaking his head, the former looking like he was about to cry because of the becoming destruction of his beloved shirt. It looked kind of funny, really. Naruto was taller than Iruka, but still he managed to make himself look like a kicked puppy with his baby-blue eyes.

"Irukaaa! Give it back!"

"No this is going to the trash bin!" That statement was followed with even more whining.

"Senseii! It's my favourite shirt! And it's L'arcenciel!" Naruto whimpered, trying desperately to grab the shirt from Iruka.

"Naruto! You do realize the reason, why this place must be clean, do you? Clearly you don't. You really expect Sasuke-kun to live here, in the middle of this chaos?" That last question made the blond in question finally stop. Sasuke stared at him, clutching his black bag – containing his only property that Iruka had kept for all those years he had been in Akai Tsuki – against his chest. Not for one moment had his eyes left Naruto. The tall blond turned to look at Sasuke, who blinked, pale lips separated just a little. For a while they just looked at each other, before Naruto grinned and turned back to Iruka, now looking a little embarrassed.

"Eh… sorry. I didn't think about it like that… Nah, just clean if you want…but! Don't put that shirt away!" He pointed at the band shirt with (fake) teary eyes. Iruka sighed and shook his head.

"Sure, sure. But now move, while I clean this part of the apartment." The pony-tailed man shooed and Naruto flashed a toothy grin as thanks.

"I'm going to show Sasuke where he's going to sleep!" The said boy's grip on his bag tightened and his black eyes widened even more. When Naruto came closer again, Sasuke stepped back and lowered his gaze. Naruto stopped, before patting his skinny shoulder.

"Don't be afraid of me, ne…" he said surprisingly quietly before smiling gently down at him. He turned to open another door that led to his bedroom. This room too, was filled with clothes and empty Coca-Cola cans and on the walls were lots of posters from old and new anime series and bands, there was L'arcenciel, D'espairsRay, the fierce growling face of Guts from Berserk and Eyeshield 21. Naruto gazed at them lovingly a little while, then remembered why he was there after all.

"Oh sorry, it's messy here too." He cleaned the big bed and hastily pushed his clothes in to the closet and coca-cola cans under the bed and the full trash bin.

"So…the thing is –"

"I'm going to sleep… here?" Naruto flinched. He had gotten so used to speaking alone, after all those talking sessions with him behind Sasuke's door. The other boy hardly spoke, so he always managed to surprise even himself when he did. The ex-patient looked uncertain, biting his lips, his eyes downcast. This room… it smelled like Naruto. He didn't know how he knew that, but…the scent made him feel weak, made his heart beat a little more faster than he would have liked.

"Yes, Sasuke. You're going to sleep here. And no, I'm not. I'm gonna be right behind this door, on the couch."

"On the…couch?" Sasuke said slowly, blinking at the taller boy. A frown appeared on his pale face. The couch was indeed big, but Naruto was bigger. He was so tall his legs would hang over the edge. And the couch was full of stuff too… Sasuke's train of thought crashed quickly, when a hand was placed on top of his head. Naruto grinned widely down at him.

"No worries! I've gotten used to it, I mean, sleeping on the couch! When my friends have a party here with me, it's usually every time that someone falls asleep on my bed – somehow it's usually Kiba, does he like my bed or what? - And because I am such a nice guy, I never wake them up. So I take the couch." When Sasuke was opening his mouth to say something, Naruto waved a finger in front of his face, stopping him.

"It's okay! I wouldn't let _you_ sleep on the couch. So stop worrying, okay?" For a while, the blond's blue eyes widened and he successfully managed to make himself look innocent. Sasuke blinked and quickly let his black hair cover the redness on his pale cheeks. Naruto laughed and ruffled his hair. He didn't touch him anymore after that.

It took almost half and hour, with Sasuke and Naruto moving from bedroom to the living room and to kitchen and to the bathroom while Iruka was cleaning with growing determination every single corner, an orange apron tied around him. Naruto wondered where in the world he found that. Finally, when he was ready, the three of them were in the small kitchen. Naruto was a little shocked to see how tidy his small apartment now looked. Sasuke sat next to him, a coffee mug between his slender fingers. Iruka stood near them, not looking tired at all, the orange apron still on him. He had cleaned even the bedroom in no time at all, from time to time nagging at Naruto about his place's filthiness. The blond hardly ever got mad, not even now, because he worried for Sasuke as much as Iruka did. But now…

"Thanks, sensei. But it's kinda freaky now that it's so clean…"

"Sure, because it was so chaotic and dirty before." Iruka looked at him, frowning a little before smiling.

"Now, I will have to leave, but I will leave Sasuke's medicine and instructions here. I will come visit as often as I can when you're at school, to make sure everything's okay. But when I can't, I'll send Kurenai or one of the boys here to look after Sasuke." Naruto nodded, when Iruka put a small, white medicine box into one of the shelves in his kitchen.

"And…" The older man pulled Naruto further away so Sasuke wouldn't hear. Caring was obvious in Iruka's warm brown eyes.

"I put away all of your sharp things, like knives. It's best to be safe than sorry, after all. You have seen his arms…" He didn't have to finish the sentence. Naruto had indeed seen the white arms covered in bandages, and a hint of pale red underneath.

"Good, good." Iruka smiled and they returned to the little kitchen. Sasuke had drank all of his coffee, but was still sitting on his chair. His black eyes immediately locked on Naruto, who smiled at him, blue eyes almost sparkling. Sasuke bit his lip in a bewildered manner and turned his gaze away. That only managed to make Naruto's smile wider.

"So I get it you guys will be alright by yourselves, right?" Iruka laid his hand on Naruto's shoulder and looked at them both. Sasuke didn't move, nor did he look up, but Naruto nodded. Iruka squeezed his shoulder and said his goodbyes before disappearing into the corridor.

The silence that overcame the apartment was that kind of nice silence that felt like you could dwell in it forever. But Naruto wasn't one to be quiet for a long time (unless he was sleeping), so he asked:

"So… what do you want to do? Do you want to watch TV? I need to do my homework but I will not go anywhere unless you want me to." Naruto looked at Sasuke questioningly, eyebrows raised. The ex-patient blinked, and then shrugged.

"I…don't know. Just…d-don't go anywhere…" Naruto took that as a yes – as in, _'yes, I would like to do something' – _and couldn't help but smile at the almost shy expression on Sasuke's face as he stared at the ground, still holding his black bag.

"Okies! As you wish. I won't. We can go to my… living room, if you can call it that. You can watch TV while I stuff my head full of cultural history of Japan and all that other stuff you're probably not interested in." Naruto blabbered happily as he left the kitchen to fetch his own pack and to leave Sasuke's black bag in the bedroom. The said boy followed him quietly, not wanting to be left alone even for a little moment. They sat down on the couch and Naruto gave him the remote control, before starting to dig his pack for history book. Sasuke's hand trembled, when he switched on the television. Somehow, the main reason why he felt so nervous, even weak, was sitting right next to him, muttering to himself while scratching his blond hair. Sasuke looked at the other boy for a while, before turning his attention towards the TV. He didn't understand at all. He tried to concentrate on the music channel and managed to do that, after seven minutes of quick glances towards Naruto. The blond, oblivious to the silent attention he was getting, was scribbling something on his notebook and browsed through the pages of his history book. And all the time, he muttered something. If Iruka had seen the sight, he would have probably went all mother hen again and hug them both until they were strangled. Well, unfortunately Iruka didn't see it.

Sasuke had forgotten for a moment his whereabouts and was absorbed by the TV, staring at the screen with wide black eyes, enchanted by it. After all, it had been almost four years since he had last seen TV. He was like a little kid, learning to live and experiencing everything, even normal things like watching television. The peace and quiet lasted for fifteen comfortable minutes, before Naruto's head started to nod off and his eyes looking foggy. Sasuke didn't notice at all, he was staring at the TV with great interest. Until something heavy landed on his shoulder. That surprised both him _and _Naruto, whose had drooped on his shoulder. They both jumped, Naruto just because Sasuke had. They both stared at each other, clearly not understanding why. Until Naruto grinned and started to laugh. Sasuke blinked, not realizing the reason. That had really scared him.

"Sorry, sorry…I haven't slept well and history has never been my cup of tea." Naruto explained and smiled apologetically. He reached out his hand.

"Forgive me?" How could someone _not _forgive immediately after seeing such innocent blue eyes? Poor Sasuke didn't know it was just an act, although with him Naruto was always honest. Black eyes, deeper than the darkness of the night, stared into blue skies, then gazing at the tanned hand, still reached out towards him, before lowering his gaze. Unfortunately, Naruto saw his reddened cheeks and he gently patted Sasuke's head.

"I'll take that as a yes. Okay, the clock is starting to show a late hour, so it's time to go to sleep, don't you think?" Without waiting for an answer he probably wasn't going to get, Naruto had disappeared into the kitchen.

"Oh, and I almost forgot your medicine! Tomorrow you're going with me and Iruka to visit the therapist, and the police too, but don't worry about that. Now, here, take these." Naruto carefully watched that the smaller boy really did swallow the pills before he waved for him to follow. He seldom touched the other boy, but when he did, it was usually a small pat or a gentle, light nudge to his ribs. The ex-patient seemed even more fragile outside in the real world, he almost feared he would break if he touched him more than that.

When they came into Naruto's bedroom, he dug his closets for a while, before throwing a pair of pyjamas to the bed.

"Change into those. Just leave the clothes you have on now to that chair in the corner. Iruka-sensei is going to come in the morning to help you get washed and all that; I'll have to go to school." The blond happily said – like always – and finally let Sasuke have his own peace, vanishing and closing the door behind him with a cheery "Good night." Sasuke stared after him, before shaking his head. He slowly took off his shirt – or it was really Naruto's, being too big for him. He carefully removed his trousers too before stopping, leaving only a pair of black boxers on.

He had noticed a mirror and his own reflection in it.

There was only one way to say it.

_It made him feel sick._

He could almost see his own bones; his skin was sickeningly white because of the lack of sun and light overall. Black hair fell over his skinny shoulders, dirty and tangled. It had once been shiny and pretty – like his mother used to say -, but it surely wasn't now. His deep black eyes looked too big and scared, making him look more like the little boy he felt he still sometimes was. Old, thin scars on his hips – from sharp, sharp claws he didn't want to remember – and the most recognizable mark. The red and white fan-like tattoo on his lower back. It was the crest of the annihilated Uchiha family. And the worst things were the bandages covering his arms. Torturously slowly, he started to rip them off, his white fingers trembling so much. His throat and lips felt dry as he threw the stained bandages into the garbage bin. Countless red and white, visible and (almost) invisible scars covered both his arms, making the boy shiver with fear and self-disgust and hate. How could this… why had he…he didn't remember almost anything before he came to Akai Tsuki, just hints and pieces here and there, but this…He slid his fingers on the rough skin and bit his lip to prevent himself from whimpering. This was a remainder. A remainder of who he was, maybe even more than the tattoo on his lower back. He was the last Uchiha, stained by his brother, lost in the darkness even before he should have learned the difference between light and dark. It was cruel and Sasuke didn't quite understand it, but anyway, this was a horrible thing and no, he didn't want to look at himself anymore.

He quickly turned away from his reflection to put on the pyjamas that were big and comfortable and soft. He didn't care, he just wanted to go to sleep. Not just because the medicine made him feel really sleepy, but just 'cause he wanted to forget everything for a while and just sleep, sleep, sleep. He turned off the light and crept between the sheets. There was a faint scent that reminded him of something…something familiar that he quite couldn't figure out what it was. Somehow it made him think of the sea, it's deep blue depths… and a pair of crystal-clear blue eyes.

He fell_ asleep._

_The blue vanished from his mind, only to be replaced by darkness thicker than everything, thicker than the blood he felt touching his skin, everywhere. His throat felt like it was about to burst, he knew that the Sharingan was on, he saw, he saw only darkness, he saw then the redness caused by these cursed eyes. He didn't know if he was upside down or standing or floating, his mind was in chaos, invisible hands were strangling him. He coughed again and again, he tried to yell, but no sound came out. Red eyes widened even more. _

'_Help me…" His blood, the blood of the Uchiha family that had been dead for years, flowed freely and Sasuke knew it was their blood that he felt inside and outside of himself, touching his skin, his throat, his brain. _

'_Help me…' Was it him or was it someone else?_

_He was starting to panic. What was this…was this 'down?' was this 'up?' Was this only darkness or was this reality? He turned around (at least he thought so) and around, trying to see at least something. With these cursed eyes, there had to be something!_

_But no. Nothing._

'_Na…" He heard a soft whimper. Was it him this time?_

'_Na…Naru…'_

_Another whimper, which this time ended with a shriek._

'_Naruto!'_

_Red eyes flashed. That was it…his link to reality, the only thought keeping him sane in this weird darkness in his sleep. And then there was them. His mother and father, dead, dead! His aunts and uncles and cousins. All of them were dead, blank eyes staring at him, and then that voice, whispering strange things and hands touching him again and again._

_And blood covered his eyes and he saw no more._

- -

Naruto had woken up in the middle of the night – 4 am or something – when he heard yelling. The boy didn't even notice that all he had on was loose orange pyjama pants as he almost fell of the couch before running to the bedroom. Sasuke was rolling around in the bed, twitching and turning. And he screamed. He screamed so loud Naruto could hear that he was, in fact, hurting. In pain. And in a _lot of_ pain. He could make out only three words in the middle of all the wordless screaming. 'Help me, help me'… and his own name. The blond didn't know what to do, so he did what he felt was the best. He crawled closer and shook the ex-patient.

"Sasuke! Sasuke! Wake up!" He tried that several times, without a result. For god's sake, even though Naruto didn't care about his neighbours, it was a miracle no one hadn't woken up yet. He clutched his hand on Sasuke's mouth to muffle his screams. That was a big mistake, since then the smaller boy went completely crazy. He tried to reach out to Naruto, his hands like talons, trying to claw at his face. The blond didn't like this at all. He crawled closer and tried to shook the other boy again.

"Oi! Wake up!" He was starting to be very, very worried.

The only thing he could now was…but what if Sasuke actually woke up? He could break the fragile trust between them, the other wouldn't understand, he was far too confused and lost to understand. But Naruto gave up and gently pulled the other boy against him, even if the other was twitching and screaming like hell. The blond muffled the other's yells into his bare chest and didn't care about hands hitting him, didn't care about hot tears making his skin wet. He caressed Sasuke's back like he was comforting a child. And in a way, he was.

"Ssshh… stop it, now…shh…just a nightmare…" Naruto murmured, not even thinking what he was saying, just muttering random things that came into mind. And very slowly, it seemed to work, Sasuke's crazy fit vanished and the other boy became completely still. Naruto could have laid him down at that moment, but he really didn't want to. He continued to caress the other's back and stare into nothingness. It was strangely relaxing, even to himself. Sasuke had stopped crying and screaming and seemed to have fallen asleep again.

Naruto really didn't want to let go. So he carefully laid the smaller – he noted with worry how _thin _the other really was – boy down and covered him with a blanket. He didn't dare to sleep next to him, so he went to fetch his blanket from the couch to the large chair next to the bed. When he had done that, he sat down and looked at Sasuke, before in five minutes, he fell asleep.

And somehow, Sasuke didn't see anymore bad dreams that night.

- -

A week went by in a flash. Sasuke had a fit only once after that, which was kind of an good signal. Naruto never slept next to him, he always moved to sleep in the large chair that fortunately was comfortable enough. They went to the therapist every single day and she always asked the same questions, always in the same tone of voice and Sasuke would just look at him with tired, dead eyes. Naruto thought that the last Uchiha scared the therapist woman. Iruka always followed, never saying anything but as a silent protector and guardian of the two boys. Kurenai visited once a week, Iruka as often as he could (which indeed was almost every day.) There wasn't really a sign of fast recovery for Sasuke, but schizophrenia was something you simply couldn't heal in a short time.

Sasuke still didn't go out unless it was for the therapist lessons or when they sometimes visited the police station for reasons that last Uchiha didn't know. Or understand. Then there were times when Naruto moved two chairs to his balcony and waved for Sasuke to sit with him. At those times, they never spoke. Naruto just smiled gently, patiently and looked at the late evening sun that was colouring the sky with red and orange. Sasuke looked too, his face expressionless and almost cold, if you didn't know what kind of person he was. He liked the sunset, but he never said it aloud. He was sure Naruto noticed it. He didn't know why or how, but he was still sure.

And they both let the thing be.

The week had been very pleasant for both, at least, it was better than Sasuke always remaining inside the hospital, with blindfold covering his eyes, never seeing anything, never feeling anything. Now he was feeling something what he quite couldn't figure out, so he usually spent his evenings pondering on the bed – it never was _his _bed, it was always _Naruto's _– about things like that. Really, if you thought about it, he found it strange. That Naruto, who clearly was a popular and beloved student in his school, would care about a skinny little bastard as himself. Why? Why? Why couldn't the other answer? Sasuke didn't dare to ask, just shrugged when Naruto asked what was wrong.

The blond still didn't touch him more than an occasional nudge to the ribs, or a pat on his shoulder or the ruffling of hair. Or a hug. Sasuke knew they had hugged sometimes, he just hadn't been quite…sane. If that's the right word he could say. No, not really sane, he had had nightmares and it was always Naruto who pulled him away from those.

Perhaps it was cliché to say it, but there was light at the end of the tunnel.

Just _maybe._

- -

Hope you liked. Review, people, review!

(You do notice in these chapters how something called LOOVE is starting to come in to the scene? It's not clearly there, but…but…it's there! Okay, maybe it will take a long time for it to bloom properly, but it will. That much I can say. And no, I haven't actually planned that much ahead, so it's gonna take awhile before you heard from me again.)

And remember, even if it takes long for me to update, don't ever think I'm going to abandon this story. I love Naruto and Sasuke (the latter in this story 3) too much to stop now. I'm going to see it to the end, I swear.

Thanks for your patience, again.

Ending Song:

Paradise Lost – Ordinary Days.


	14. Chapter 13: His Home

First of all, sorry for the terribly long wait. I've been busy and just plain lazy from time to time. And not really knowing what to write, so…

Here's the next chapter for all of you. And a time to meet the others.

**Warnings:** lots and lots of embarrassment, cursing, annoying bisexual sempai, annoying curious friends, random fluffyness etc etc.

* * *

"So… Naruto. Do you have a good reason? I mean, a _very _good reason for not visiting us for a long time? Or letting us visit you? Nowadays you always disappear somewhere and you moved away from the dorms and all that stuff -!" Kiba said with a pathetic whine and stared at his friend. Their little group of friends were sitting in the school's cafeteria. This bunch of buddies of course included Gaara, the fierce redhead who was always glaring at everyone else but Naruto, Kiba, who was now nudging Naruto's sleeve, the ever-silent Neji and the terrifying two girls, Sakura and Ino. Hinata sat next to Kiba and blushed brightly every time the dog boy looked at him. This time Shikamaru was absent, he had been sick for two days already.

Anyway, now all of them were watching Naruto and waiting for an answer. Well, except for Gaara who of course already knew the answer.

"Well? Are you going to answer? What's so important to you that you even have to skip school?" Even Neji raised his elegant eyebrows. Naruto blinked when Hyuuga's white, empty gaze settled on him. _Uh-oh. _They had almost found out. Almost. The very last thing would be if one of the girls suspected that he had a –

"Naruto has a girlfriend!" Ino suddenly shrieked and stood up, wide grin on her face. An identical smirk appeared on Sakura's face. Geez, these girls were always making up stupid things like that! Naruto could only sigh. The others looked at him with even more interest. Only Gaara snarled angrily and squeezed the blond's shoulder.

"Is that true?" Kiba controlled a whine that was about to burst out again.

"Err…." Naruto backed away from his friends' demanding glares.

"N-not…exactly.." He really didn't have the slightest clue how to answer.

"Hmmm…?" Ino and Sakura leaned closer, two pairs of bright eyes digging in to the poor blond's soul.

"So…" The girls took a quick glance at each other and then back at Naruto.

"It's a boyfriend then?" Duh. Trust women to hit the nail in the head. Well, almost.

Naruto was actually speechless for a while. Trust me, making him speechless was something that many people couldn't have done. But that one specific question. Now he felt like he was in some sort of a spotlight. Even Gaara's eyes were fixed on him, but for a little bit different reason. He knew about Sasuke, but he couldn't have probably doubted that there was something between them… really?

"What?" The fox finally barked back, starting to feel like a trapped wild animal. Before anyone could answer, a black-clothed arm sneaked around Naruto's shoulder and a low voice spoke right beside his ear:

"What's this? Is my _Naru-chan_ dating someone without my knowledge?" Ino and Sakura started to giggle, the blonde girl waved to the new comer. Kiba snorted and shook his head. But Neji cracked a small smile, while Gaara gritted his teeth.

"Sai…" Naruto said, but before he could say more, the other black haired boy started to laugh that same, annoying laugh that he heard every single day. He turned to meet the smiling face of Sai, their senior.

"Tsk, tsk. Where did the honorific go?" He brushed a short strand of shiny black hair away from his face and tried to look absolutely full of pure innocence. Naruto sighed deeply.

"Sempai." Sai grinned and patted the blond's cheek.

"That's my boy. Well, anyway. Tell me what's going on? Naruto-kun, do you really have a partner of some sort?" Poor Sai-sempai looked almost disappointed at the thought, even though one could see the glint of humour in his dark, dark eyes. With grinning faces, the others told Sai what their conversation was about. Sai's eyes widened.

"Is that so…so you really are dating and probably cosily living with someone. Perhaps that someone is a seducer… an evil person…" He sniffled. Naruto actually growled.

"He's nothing like that! He's a victim himself!" He hadn't noticed that he had risen from his chair and yelled that in a loud voice.

A very thick silence fell over the table.

"Na…Naru…" Sai could only open his mouth to try to say something. The blond's face went completely pale. _WHOOPS. _Geez, Naruto, when will you learn to keep your mouth shut? He grabbed his bag.

"I…I gotta go." He mumbled and ran out of the cafeteria, his face now feeling like it was burning. Gaara was the only one who wasn't surprised. Just because Naruto told him practically everything so it wasn't a miracle that Gaara knew about Sasuke, especially when the schizophrenic had literally bumped into him in the hospital that day.

"S…so it is a guy then." The others said aloud and looked at each other. It had been a joke, but…anyway.

Later that day when Naruto finally came home, he found the apartment completely quiet. He opened the door and yawned.

"Tadaima!" No answer.

"Hello?" He said aloud and tossed his back to the couch. Still no answer. He frowned and walked forward. There was nobody in the kitchen. Or in the bathroom. But when he finally peeked in to his bedroom, he saw them and smiled at the sight in front of him. There was a tall, silverhaired man deeply asleep on the chair next to the bed. A small orange book had fallen to the floor. Kakashi's head was drooping against the char rest. He was snoring slightly. Naruto stepped forward and saw Sasuke. The black haired boy was sleeping on the bed, curled in a little ball like a cat. His slender hand next to his face, almost hidden by his black hair. Naruto wandered next to him and brushed the said hair away, revealing the pale face. Fluttering black eyelashes – the blond wondered what the silent boy was dreaming about – and the parted lips. Naruto caressed his cheek, ruffled his hair and left the room. He went to the kitchen to have a cup of coffee. As he watched the coffee pour into the pot, he heard a clank and light steps approaching the room.

"You're awake." Naruto smiled, as he turned to see Sasuke standing by the door, dressed in black clothes, a pair of what Iruka had bought a week ago.

"Do you want something? Coffee?" The blond continued, walking to the fridge to get the milk. Sasuke shook his head, but didn't say anything.

"Okay. But sit, please." Naruto pointed at the chair opposite to himself as he sat down too. Sasuke did as he was told, eyes staring at everything else but Naruto, who started to sip down his coffee. Neither spoke, they only sat like that for a while in a comfortable, homey silence. They had gotten used to that in the time they had spent together in Naruto's home.

But unfortunately, that said silence was broken by few loud knocks on the door. And a familiar voice shouting:

"Naruto? Are you there?!" Fox frowned. He rose.

"Stay here, Sasuke." He said to the black haired boy, whose eyes had widened because of the noise. Naruto smiled at him reassuringly and walked to his door. He opened it only to see a very unlikely pair. Kiba – with Akamaru, the white dog the size of a small pony – and Sai. They both were looking very… determined. Frighteningly so.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" Naruto asked, putting his hands to his hips.

"We came to see it it was true." Sai only said, that annoying smile plastered on his face and walking inside, Kiba and Akamaru – it was a miracle how the dog fit in – following him.

"Oi-!" Naruto only had time to shout, as he quickly turned around. His two friends had stopped to stare. Naruto closed his eyes and felt like screaming. Just because he had been stupid enough to actually say aloud that he was hiding a guy in his apartment…

"For fuck's sake…" He mumbled and pushed himself towards Sasuke, who stood frozen beside the kitchen's door.

"They are just my friends. That brownhaired kid there with Akamaru the dog is Kiba Inuzuka and the other one, the stupid-looking is Sai." He patted the smaller boy's shoulder and turned to glare at the said two people.

"Anyway… you guys scared him with all that noise." Kiba and Sai shrugged and smiled at Sasuke, who blinked at them.

"And your name is…?"

"…it-it's Sasuke." Sasuke whispered in his quiet, low voice, staring at his feet. Akamaru started to bark, making the ex-patient flinch. Seeing that, Kiba nagged at his dog to make him shut up. And then he came closer, leaning down to see the shorter boy better. Sasuke shivered and stepped back in reflex. Kiba blinked.

"What the fuck, Naruto?! You've really gotten yourself a hot boyfriend!" The dog boy saw Naruto rolling his eyes and mumbling something. If Kiba the Straightest Man In The Whole School thought like that, then what would the girls think if they saw Sasuke? Those two didn't even notice how red poor Sasuke went. Unfortunately Sai was there to notice it. And he also saw the look the ex-patient threw at Naruto before he continued to stare at his feet.

"Shut it, doggie boy. He's not my boyfriend and you very clearly know it." Naruto groaned and flashed his surprisingly pointy teeth to the brown haired boy. Akamaru whined quite pathetically for a dog his size and nudged Kiba's pantleg. Kiba didn't even notice. He shrugged and his grin barely faded.

"Oookayy…I believe you." He said with that kind of tone that clearly stated: _I don't believe a word you're saying, buddy. _Naruto sighed for the tenth time.

"You guys can go now. You've seen the mysterious boy, now, shoo, shoo!" He waved his hand, trying to drive Kiba and Sai gone.

"Leave us alone!" Oh shit. That was a very wrong thing to say, if the looks on the boys' faces were any indication.

"No, no, no! Not like that -!"

"Naruto-kun. Are you perhaps… cheating on me?" Sai asked, gasping. His black eyes shone with imaginary tears. He was too good at acting, Sai, the king of the drama club, for fuck's sake. Naruto cursed in his mind again. Kiba, on the other hand, was looking at Sasuke. The patient was only now getting a good hang of what was going on. Even when his cheeks were burning red, a spark could be seen in his eyes, reminding of the proud, dead soul of an Uchiha that still remained somewhere very deep, under that entire childhood trauma. Kiba stared at him. Sasuke stared back. The dog boy turned his gaze away. Back at Naruto, whom the jealous Sai was now practically strangling to death. Well, jealous and jealous, but Sai-sempai was a good actor – as said before – and everyone knew he liked Naruto. But not that way. Or so he hoped.

"Sempai! Leave him alone!" Kiba tugged Sai off the blond boy.

"C'mon, foxie, we're not going anywhere. We want to get to know our new little friend a lot better." Kiba was only going to put his arm around those skinny shoulders in a we're-buddies-way, but Sasuke very quickly slid away, black eyes wide and scared.

"What's with him?" Naruto looked at him and took Sasuke's hand in his own.

"Come to the kitchen. I'll…explain." Sasuke blinked and didn't dare to try to get his hand free. Not that he really minded. Sai saw the red tint again on those pale cheeks. The older black-haired boy smiled and followed. They sat down.

"So…"

"So."

"Explain." Both Sai and Kiba were looking very curious when they leaned forward to hear better. Sasuke looked at them, almost shyly, his black eyes too deep, too lost for a boy his age.

"I…I want to tell them myself." He suddenly said. He squeezed Naruto's hand tightly under the table.

"You sure?" Sasuke stole a glance at Naruto and nodded. Sai raised an eyebrow. His friend's interaction with that kid reminded him of a big brother taking care of a little brother. A friend caring for a friend. Or…was it something else entirely? Sai snorted.

Anyway…

"Tell us everything." Sasuke was biting his lip and trembling. But his sad, melancholic gaze settled on the two boys opposite to him.

"My whole name is…Sasuke Uchiha." A hint of sarcasm suddenly hit the quiet voice when he mentioned his surname. Kiba blinked, confused. Sai went silent and then his eyes widened..

"Uchiha! I know! You're that…that…" He went pale. Sasuke didn't look at him. He shook now harder. Naruto caressed his hair with his free hand.

"Yes I am. My family does not exist anymore." How horrifying that sounded, when it came from between the lips of a 17-year-old boy?

"My… big brother… I mean…Itachi, killed them all. Left their bodies to lie on the streets for me to find them. In their own pools of blood. I was…12. Or something back then." Sasuke was losing what was left of his self control, desperately trying to keep it in one piece.

"Itachi… he… I…" He seemed so small and fragile when he stared at the table. His eyes were so scared, like a child's who has just seen a terrifying nightmare.

"I thought…I had gotten over it…" He whimpered in a faint voice, tears turning his vision hazy. Kiba and Sai looked at him, frowning in concern.

"Sasuke… would you want me to tell them?" Naruto asked in a worried voice. He slid his hand from the smaller boy's hair to his back. Sasuke nodded.

"Okay." Naruto gazed at his listeners, while caressing Sasuke, trying to calm the trembling boy down.

"I'll keep it short. Few… nasty things happened and something snapped. And this poor thing here…ended Itachi Uchiha's life." The blond smiled sadly at his protégé.

"He was sent to mental asylum instead of prison, just because…he was diagnosed as a schizophrenic when he was only 14. He was found right in the scene of the crime, covered in blood that wasn't his own." Sasuke whimpered something and Naruto drew him closer.

"I met him only few months ago when I went to work to Akai Tsuki. I pitied him first. Could you understand what I felt when I saw him the first time? Fragile boy, handcuffed… blindfold covering his eyes. Sitting in that small, dark room, never seeing, never feeling anything…" Ex-patient trembled in his arm, now crying again. Kiba and Sai were listening eagerly, now feeling very empathetic towards the pitiful creature in front of them.

"I knew I couldn't stay still. I had to help him…well, things happened and here we are now. We still have to go to therapy every day… and visit the police and all. But otherwise, he gets to stay here. When I'm at school, someone from the hospital comes here to watch Sasuke so that he doesn't do… anything silly." The whole time those miraculous blue eyes were fixed on Sasuke, not once had Naruto actually looked at his friends.

"So now you know who he is. And I ask you not to tell anyone. Especially to _those_ girls. Sasuke needs lots and lots of time to recover and he doesn't need any more attention than he already gets." The blond said, now earning a nod from both of his friends.

"That's… tragic." Sai mumbled, looking at the other black-haired one, who was now calming down, little by little.

"That's life." Naruto stated. Akamaru whined from his position on the floor. The dog rose and walked next to the blond and the brunette. Very carefully the big animal touched his cold nose against Sasuke's arm. The boy flinched and backed away, staring at the dog. Akamaru's ears went flat and his tail went between his legs. The dog looked almost miserable. Kiba sighed.

"Akamaru!" His animal friend didn't listen, but tried again. Sasuke trembled. Naruto grabbed his hand gently.

"He's not gonna eat you. It's Akamaru, Kiba's dog." The dog tried to pretend that he was very small and innocent and cute. Naruto placed Sasuke's hand on top of the dog's head. Akamaru didn't dare to move. Sasuke was still trembling, but his long fingers had started to carefully caress the dog's fur. Akamaru closed his eyes. Naruto could swear that he saw the dog grin in his…doggy way. Sasuke blinked his wide, black eyes. The animal was indeed quite…nice. It's fur felt soft under his hands. The patient dared even to lower himself down to the level of the dog.

Akamaru opened his eyes to stare at Sasuke. Sasuke blinked. The dog whined and dared to slide out his tongue to lick the boy's face. The patient flinched, but didn't move away. Encouraged, the dog licked his face again. A hint of smile was seen on Sasuke's face. Naruto sighed and smiled.

"Stop it Akamaru. That's enough. I think you've caused him enough trauma for today." He pushed the dog away. Sasuke wiped his face.

"You okay, Sasuke?" The boy nodded.

"Yeah…" A spark of life appeared in his black eyes, but disappeared too fast. Naruto helped him up and saw Kiba and Sai looking at them.

"We better leave."

"But… anyway…Sasuke, Naruto. We're going to visit again. I want to see how you both are doing." Sai said, smiling at both of them, this time, sincerely. Sasuke looked at him and then at the floor. Still too shy. He managed to brush Akamaru's fur one more time before the dog followed Kiba and Sai out. Naruto closer the door and sighed.

"Geez. I thought they would never leave. Not that I don't like them and all… but…Sasuke, are you okay?" He put his hand on Sasuke's forehead, when he noticed the smaller boy looking out from the window with a dazed expression. Sasuke looked confused, but shrugged.

"Y-yeah…I think I liked the dog. His fur felt nice." The boy said quietly. Naruto smiled.

"Akamaru is great. Were you scared at all?" Sasuke nodded and then had a reason to blush again, when a rough hand ruffled his hair.

"But you managed well. I think that somewhere inside, you're actually very brave."

"…Y-you… do?" Really now. Sasuke was so much like a child still. Innocent, not quite understanding this all. Well, he had lost three years of his life to a little dark room. And two years for revenge that almost ate him alive. He had almost forgotten how to live. Naruto grinned.

"I think I can analyse people like that. Yeah. What Naruto thinks is right, so don't disagree with me." He patted Sasuke's head.

"Do you want to do something?" Black-haired kid shrugged.

"I don't know…"

"Let's watch some TV. So we don't have to think about anything." So they moved to sit on Naruto's couch. They watched some strange british comedy, making the tall blond laugh out loud and making Sasuke stare at him in wonder, in amazement. He liked to hear Naruto laughing. His laugh was so contagious, you had the sudden urge to smile at him when he laughed like that. Out of pure joy.

"What are you kids watching?" A voice suddenly said from behind their backs, making them both jump.

"Kakashi! You sleepy head, you slept through all that noise?" The silverhaired man scratched his neck.

"Noise? I didn't hear any noise. I just woke up." He blinked.

"Anyway… I gotta get back to the hospital. I promised to help Iruka today. Have fun guys." Kakashi ruffled the blond's and brunette's hairs and left. The two boys were quiet for a while, before Naruto laughed.

"He's a funny guy, that man…I like him." Sasuke looked at him, not saying anything. Naruto blinked at him.

"Don't you like him too?"

"I…don't know. M-maybe…" Black eyes were fixed on the television now, pale fingers were fiddling with the hem of his shirt. Naruto's grin widened.

"I know you do. There are very few who don't like Kakashi."

And with that, they spent a good fifteen minutes, Naruto doing the talking and the laughing, Sasuke doing the nodding and the blushing. After that, he started to feel tired again. Naruto fetched him his medicine and Sasuke leaned backwards against the back rest of the couch.

"I never thought I'd felt like this but… I feel so comfortable. Like I'm…I'm…" Naruto's hands were again caressing his hair, his shoulders, his warmth right beside him.

"Is it weird if I say that I….feel… feel like…"

"…Like I'm home?" Sasuke stared at his hands, not daring to look at Naruto. But when there wasn't any answer, he raised his black eyes only to see blue eyes widening and a happy smile appearing.

"Really?" Sasuke felt his cheeks burn.

"…I- I mean what I say…"

"Thank you, Sasuke!" The blond said happily, embracing the smaller boy tightly against his chest. The said boy didn't even dare to breathe. The warmth, the happiness…it was all so over-whelming. For many years, he had only felt despair and deep sadness… but with Naruto it was different. He didn't dare to say it aloud, but he actually felt a hint of happiness inside. Only with the other boy he felt like that. Like this was his home. All those hugs, all those small smiles, reminded him so much of his childhood, his loving mother, his distant father and his big brother… but in a good way. Not all those painful things, but the good things, the love he was given, the happiness he had felt back then. He felt it returning.

"Sasuke…you made me so happy with that. I was scared how would you manage here, but…I'm so glad you feel that way." Naruto backed away a little to smile at him, to look in his eyes. Sasuke didn't dare to blink, so enchanting were those shiny blue eyes.

"I hope you don't mind me doing this…" Naruto leaned forward to press a small kiss against Sasuke's forehead. Warm waves went through ex-patient's skinny body, making him shiver. Naruto grinned.

"That's a mark of my gratitude. I like you, Sasuke." Again, ruffling of his hair but this time Sasuke didn't mind, but sat back down in comfortable silence. Right next to the other boy.

It had been such a long time when he had seen his home. Perhaps the house didn't even exist anymore? Well, it didn't matter that much now. Sasuke knew that he would cherish those moments forever, but…he had finally started to live again.

Finally.


	15. Chapter 14: Simple and Clean

I'm sorry for the delay again. I'm having real troubles with this story, not really knowing what to write. And it takes me more and more time to write each chapter. Geez, maybe I should be ending this story soon.

And yeah, I have something to tell ya. Since I was a little kid, I've wanted to be a writer. And I'm thinking that I should change Don't Say A Word a little, make it more realistic and stuff – but with few additional characters and a little bit of fantasy – and changing something little about the characters too. I have thought about writing a book for few years already, but there just hasn't been any good ideas... but this, this could be something. I'm already thinking about 'new' names for the characters and how I should change something little about their looks and stuff. Well, that's that.

(I just today played the part of Kingdom Hearts 2, where I have to kill Demyx. God it almost made me cry. He was so… childish and funny and had a pretty voice. :' I almost felt like punching Sora, but then again, I like Sora too and I pity him too and all that stuff. Dunno what to do!)

Songs listened:

Hyde – evergreen, The Cape of Storms

David Sylvian – For The Love Of Life

Three Days Grace – Pain

Ouran High School Host Club – Itsumo Gawa Ni

And I've also been listening to lots of music from Silent Hill. Especially Please Love Me.. Once More, Theme of Laura, Silent Hill, Promise, Waiting For You, Your Rain and of course Room of Angel have been great.

And music from the Kingdom Hearts-games too, I love Riku, Roxas, Organization XIII, Missing You and all those beautiful piano songs.

I'm feeling melancholic so these kind of songs fit.

Warnings: Attack of the rabid fangirls, random fluffiness.

(Note: Naruto's bathtub is like that, you can go behind it, it's not connected to the other wall at all, since it's not that big. ;) It's damn hard trying to explain that in English.)

* * *

Few days later, Naruto was cosily lying on his couch, limbs spread to every direction, a lollipop sticking out of his mouth. His bright orange jersey – sleeves rolled up – and green knee-high baggy trousers were a striking opposite to Sasuke, who was wearing all black again. He was sitting by the couch table, reading some book. His expression didn't change, but something in his posture told that he was enjoying himself. But, unfortunately, Naruto wasn't. And it rarely was a good thing that the blond got bored, 'cause it usually meant that he was going to do something…well, not so suitable. Radical, at it's best. This time something radical meant… a thing not so radical, at all. More likely just Naruto's protectiveness taking the lead.

"_Oi,_ Sasuke." Naruto muttered and turned around to lay on his stomach, blue eyes blinking at Sasuke. He flinched and raised his head, staring at Naruto questioningly. The blond grinned.

"When was the last time you took a bath? I mean, I've got a really nice bathroom right here and there's this wonderful bath and all…" Naruto asked in his most innocent voice. Sasuke blinked, trying to understand. Then he did and coughed, looking down.

"I…" He had only time to start before he was interrupted by Naruto's laughter.

"Oookay, so today you're going to acquaint yourself with my bath. Come with me, boy." Naruto stood up, waiting for Sasuke to do the same. The raven-haired boy blinked again and then rose, still a little uncertain. Naruto grinned and turned to walk to the door leading to his bathroom. He opened it and then decided to be hesitant.

"Although…you shouldn't be alone. Maybe I -!" Sasuke actually poked Naruto's arm and shook his head, like a little kid. He was looking a little embarrassed.

"No?" The blond had the decency to look disappointed.

"…Oookay then, but I'll be just beside this door. If you need any help, just yell, _ne?"_ Sasuke went a little redder, but he nodded anyway. Naruto patted his head and slid out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Sasuke stared after him for a while, before blushing. What was he thinking? Wishing that the other would have stayed…he coughed and started to take off his shirt. He tossed it to the floor and shivered. It was a little bit too cold for his tastes…or was it just the fact that… he slid his hands to his sides and winced, when he felt his bones _a little too clearly. _He shook his head, gulped and leaned down to open the tap. Sasuke put the plug to its place when water started to fill the tub. He backed to remove his trousers. He was almost halfway, pushing those black pants away from him, but something made him slip. Very fortunately, he managed to grap the edge of the tub, preventing a bump to his head like that. He took a deep breath to calm down. The door opened and Naruto burst in.

"I heard a yell. Are you okay? Did you hit your head or anything?" He went quiet when he saw how frightened Sasuke looked, black eyes wide. He straightened, putting his arms around himself. It took a moment for the blond to move his blue eyes from Sasuke's face to his body, his thin arms and legs and white skin, that hadn't nearly gotten any healthy color. Naruto felt overwhelming waves of sympathy as he saw and most importantly, understood the state that the other boy was in. Even after two weeks of living with him, Sasuke had gained hardly any weight. He remained still ghostly pale, thin like a skeleton. But what made Naruto even more horrified were the scars all over the other boy's body, the signs of beatings. And there it was, blood and snow, the crest of the Uchiha carved into the skin. The boys stared at each other for a moment, before Sasuke turned his head away, biting his lip. He felt horribly awkward standing there, without clothes that would shield him from worrying eyes.

"Geez, Sasuke, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have barged in like that. But I was a little worried…anyway, you're going to take that bath and I'm gonna help you, before you really do hit your head or something equally nasty." Sasuke only nodded, embarrassed again. Naruto smiled, keeping his eyes fixed on the other's black eyes.

"Now get in to that tub." Smaller boy did as he was told and stepped in to the warm water, flinching a little. He laid down. The water stinged his old scars from when he had slit his wrists. He barely saw the deathly white traces through the water. He sighed deeply. Suddenly, there were big hands on his head, strong, but gentle fingers diving in to his hair. Warm breath against his neck made a tingling feeling appear inside of him. Naruto laughed quietly.

"I hope you don't mind me washing your hair, Sasuke." The patient bit his lip, but shook his head. He was more confused than scared.

"Thought so. Close your eyes and just relax. Nothing's gonna happen to you." The little raven did so and gave in, letting out a soft sigh. It felt kind of… nice. Naruto's laughter floating to his ears from somewhere far, those rough hands washing his hair, massaging his head. It was also making him a little sleepy. He could imagine Naruto's grin right now. It must have looked funny, him looking like he was ready to fall asleep at any moment.

"Hey little guy, don't fall asleep yet." The blond said quietly, amusement clear in his voice. Sasuke opened his eyes only to see shiny blue eyes, sparkling. He opened his mouth to say something, but laid his head down immediately, feeling his cheeks heat up. How on earth other boy always managed to make him blush? The blond laughed again and surprised Sasuke by leaning forward and sneaking his arms around the patient. Naruto dared to nuzzle his necks, not caring when his t-shirt – he probably had tossed the jersey to somewhere – got wet. Sasuke went still and blinked, blushing again, embarrassingly so.

His trembling fingers touched Naruto's wrist and grabbed it, like searching for safety. The blond's hands were caressing his chest, the old scars on it. Sasuke closed his eyes again and leaned backwards, Naruto breathed against his neck. The blond was on his knees behind the bathtub, it wasn't that high. It was moments like these, being so close to the other boy that made Sasuke's whole body feel all…strange, warmth spreading from where Naruto's hands were caressing him, more comfortably than anything. They stayed like that for few minutes, before Naruto sighed and stood up. He pulled Sasuke up with him and helped him out of the tub.

"Here's a towel for you." Naruto gave Sasuke a big, fluffy and a very…_orange _towel, before removing the plug from the tub. Sasuke started to clean himself, but then his hands were gently pushed away, only to be replaces by two tanned hands.

"Let me do it." Naruto said, amused. Sasuke peeked at himself shyly. The blond dried his hair quickly, whistling like he was doing something he really enjoyed. Sasuke stared at him, confused again.

"There, it's done. Now come, you can take that towel with you, I don't mind. Anyway, are you hungry? Thirsty? Needy for anything?" Blue eyes blinked innocently. Sasuke grabbed the towel to put it tighter around him and shook his head sternly.

"Hey, hey! No need to look that scared. I'm just asking." Naruto hopped away to lay on the couch again. Sasuke followed, bare footed, looking for some new clothes. The blond directed him to some big wardrobe. There was a chest of drawers too and Sasuke started to dig it. He found the other pair of black trousers that they had bought some days ago and a dark blue shirt. He put on the pants, but before he was able to put on the shirt, a loud knock on the door made him stop. Naruto stood up.

"Who the hell it is?" He asked when he managed to get to the door. Sasuke quickly put on the shirt, suddenly feeling very nervous. Naruto opened the door. He blinked. The raven haired boy right behind him froze. The two girls on the doorstep blinked.

"Naruto? Who's that?" Ino pushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, Sakura examined Sasuke sternly, hands on her hips. Naruto sighed.

"Girls… what the fuck are you doing here? _Oi-!" _

"Ooooh my gooood he's so _pretty!"_

"And shy? Cuuuute!" The she-devils had spotted Sasuke and were instantly next to the blackhaired boy, poking him, giggling madly and all the way scaring the poor boy out of his mind.

"I know dozens of girls who would give their lives to have skin this soft, this pale…"

"But what's wrong with his wrists…ohmygod is he one of…_those?!" _

"_Girls…" _Sasuke whispered, starting to tremble.

"Look at how thin he is – "

"Girls! Put your hands off him!" Naruto growled and pushed Ino and Sakura away from Sasuke, who was looking really scared. The girls protested, but the blond was more interested in Sasuke's health than theirs.

"Sasuke, they are just my classmates. And they're… well, _girls." _Naruto hugged the shorter boy briefly before turning to look at the dumbfounded girls. Sakura's eyes were narrow.

"Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again." He said in a quiet, threatening voice, arm remaining around Sasuke's shoulders. Ino and Sakura frowned and looked at each other and then back at the boys. Their eyes clearly said: 'what a weirdo.' Naruto barely controlled himself and sighed deeply.

"I'm not going to explain it to you, 'cause you wouldn't understand anyway. The only thing you need to know about this boy is his name, Sasuke and the fact that he fears you. Like he fears most of other people. So don't touch him." The blond gritted his teeth, fingers clutching Sasuke's other shoulder a little tighter.

"Naruto…" The pink-haired girl started, but Naruto revealed his teeth.

"And one more thing. If you must speak to him, don't get mad if he doesn't answer. He doesn't like talking - !"

"You sound…" The girls looked at each other and smiled deceptively sweetly.

"You sound possessive." Ino looked like she hadn't heard a thing Naruto just said. The poor boy was ready to kick her out of his apartment.

"Ino…be serious, for fuck's sake. I'm not joking." The blonde girl still smiled, but was cut off by Sakura.

"Ino-pig!" The pink-haired girl suddenly said, poking her friend. She had always been the more considerate one of the two. At least… usually.

"Maybe we should listen? I mean, I don't understand anything about this and why everything is the way… it is, but I'm not that stupid that I wouldn't notice there's something wrong with that kid." Sakura shrugged and stepped closer. Sasuke backed, hand clutching Naruto's shirt.

"What did you say his name was?" The she-devil asked.

"Sasuke." The said boy muttered, not looking at the girl. Sakura grinned, some of her considerateness slipping away. Naruto caressed Sasuke's hair, frowning at the girl.

"Yeah. And no, he's not a trophy so no poking or anything like that, okay?" The blond gritted his teeth again, poking Sakura between her eyes.

"You know, Naruto… you've hardly ever cared that much about us, your friends. So why are you doing everything for Sasuke-kun, huh? I really don't see any reason. If you don't tell me, I might believe the rumours about you having a… _boyfriend." _The she-devil said in her most annoying tone and made Naruto actually want to kick her out, like, _right now. _

"It's really none of your business, Sakura, but if you must hear…I'm just protecting him. He's had enough shit in his life already and he's just getting used to normal life. And most importantly, to people. I'm annoyed about this, 'cause you're not actually helping." Sakura inclined hear head and shrugged, like she didn't know if she should believe it or not. Ino actually dared to pout, like she had done nothing wrong.

Naruto shook his head. These girls were just…impossible.

"Okay, now tell me the real reason. Why did you two come here?"

"Geez, Naruto, you really are stupid. Of course we would come, 'cause we heard that Sai-sempai and Kiba visited you few days ago. But we never thought that you would actually be hiding a guy in your apartment…a very pretty guy, that is…" Sakura sighed deeply and stared at Sasuke with a mix of jealousy and admiration. Ino was almost drooling, now that she really had taken a good look at the smaller boy. Even though it was clear that she was annoyed by the fact that any _boy _could be prettier than _her! _What a terrifying thought, but unfortunately, it was real.

"Girls, just… take it seriously! I don't need you prancing around here and scaring him out of his mind." Naruto was starting to get annoyed again.

"But Naruto-_kun! _We _are _taking this seriously! We just think you two would make such a…gorgeous couple." The sentence was followed by few giggles, when both girls seemed to fall back to their natural habits. Sakura grinned, brushing few strands of shocking pink hair away from her face. Ino snickered. Sasuke blinked innocently. Naruto groaned.

"He's kinda weird…"

"…But we like you Naruto, quite a lot too." Sakura grinned. The two she-devils shrugged innocently.

"Don't say that. It's none of your business why he is the way he is, so don't go calling him weird when you don't even know him!" Naruto snarled. Sasuke tugged his sleeve, teeth again digging into his lip.

"Naruto…I-it's okay." He acted like the girls didn't even exist, his black eyes fixed on blue ones.

"Really." Ice melted instantly from Naruto's eyes and he smiled.

"If you say so, Sasuke." He said and leaned down to press his lips against the pale forehead again. There was a gasp from the girls and a soft sigh from Sasuke. But Naruto really didn't care. He watched Sasuke's face, fingers now tangling up in the black hair. He didn't turn his head to look at the girls.

"Ino, Sakura, please. Will you leave now? You've seen Sasuke and scared him to death. Shoo, shoo -!"

"Naruto, we –!!"

"Really, girls, I can't tolerate you now." The blond showed his teeth dangerously, his fingers now caressing Sasuke's face, like he hadn't even noticed. The girls sighed.

"Geez, no need to tear our heads off. We were just curious. Anyway, if our company is so frustrating, we're leaving…" So they went on they way. The only sound was the bang from the door and the clanking of the girls' boots.

Finally, the apartment was quiet. The boys were still standing face to face, Naruto's on Sasuke's hair.

"You okay?" He asked with a smile, blue eyes sparkling. Sasuke nodded, black eyes a little confused.

"Those girls were… scary." He muttered, almost lowering his head, but Naruto grabbed his chin and shook his head.

"Look at me. No need to be shy around me, I hardly mind anything." The blond ruffled Sasuke's hair and just watched him, smiling a little. Sasuke stared back, blinking, but somehow unable to look away. He grabbed Naruto's arms and opened his mouth to say something, but not a sound came out. He blinked, suddenly turning red. Naruto raised his eyebrows and leaned down a little. Sasuke blushed harder, when he felt warm breath against his face, fearing, yes fearing that the other boy would… _would…_but at the same time, kind of like he was wishing for it too. When Sasuke was almost sure that the other boy would give him a kiss – this time, not on his forehead -, Naruto backed away.

"I…got lost in the moment." The blond said, coughed, very embarrassed. He ruffled Sasuke's hair again and turned to leave the other on his own. The ex-patient grabbed his sleeve again, but really not knowing what to say, what to do.

"Naruto…!" The blond turned to see Sasuke staring at him with wide, wide eyes, blush still on his face, his black hair messily falling on his face. Naruto sighed.

"What?" Sasuke gulped.

"Don't leave. I don't want to be alone now."

The only answer he got was a warm smile, that made his cheeks burn harder.

They sat down on the couch, Sasuke carefully creeping right next to Naruto, laying his head on the strong shoulder. The blond blew a kiss to his hair, making him hid his blushed face behind his hands. Naruto laughed and settled down, pulling the other boy a little closer. Sasuke closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Funny. There was this unique scent that he noticed for the first time…a scent that reminded him of happiness, summer, bugs and most of all, family. It made him comfortable and he didn't even notice that a smile creeped on his face. If he just could stay like this, he knew he would be happy.

* * *

Hnnh. I didn't like this chapter half as much as I liked the others, but, oh well… it's like, 2am and I'm still writing this. I should be going to bed.

Ending Song: Lifehouse – Everything. (The unofficial NaruSasu song. Believe it!)

_"'Cause you're all I want, you're all I need, you're everything, everything."_

_"It could be like this, just like this."_ – Brokeback Mountain. God I cried while watching that movie. That line came in to my mind when I ended this chapter. God I'm feeling like a little crybaby right now.


	16. Chapter 15: No More Words

Sorry for the very very very long wait.

http :// irc- galleria. net/ view .php? nick Revy & imageid 58893148

(I drew myself some fanart! remove the spaces.)

http :// irc- galleria. net / view.php? nickRevy& imagei d58899 388

(and pretended to be our fav avenger. sry. XD)

Songs listened:

Mushishi - Sore Feet Song

Tackey & Tsubasa - One Day, One Dream

BoA - Every Hear

Ayumi Hamasaki - Dearest

Ayumi Hamasaki - No More Words

Akeboshi - Wind

Akeboshi - Yellow Moon

Kino's Journey - The Beautiful World

(ohmygod what cheesy songs. but I need something fluffy. (lots of songs from Inuyasha, the first anime I ever watched. Oh, the nostalgia!)

By the way, people, prepare. This fic is going to end. Just this chapter and perhaps and epilogue. It hurts me to end this but anyway. :F

Just a warning that this chapter is gonna be a little boring, need to explain some stuff and all.. and perhaps confusing, since it's gonna have some time jumps and stuff like that. Bear with me, there's gonna be an epilogue. _(if I ever manage to write one.)_

* * *

Barely few months had passed since Naruto took in his black stray cat. Months filled with worried therapists - what good actors they are -, fat policemen with grey eyes and bored voices, bloody nightmares and warm hugs that took all those nightmares away. Few who saw Sasuke during those monts and after them, apart from Naruto of course, could see a very slight chance in him, for the better, that is. He still didn't talk much, flinched whenever someone came too close, had nightmares almost every night. But still, there was something about him that made others and especially Naruto, think that perhaps his old spirit had finally started to come back alive. None of them knew how he had been before all those things happened, but all of them had still heard stories of the pride of an Uchiha. And that's what they had started to see in Sasuke. It was just a small glint in Sasuke's dark eyes, a hint of a soul that had been proud and distant before the fall. That gave hope to Naruto. It could be possible, it really could be. Even if the past had caused eternal scars in Sasuke's mind, he could be like he was once was.

So Naruto took him outside more than to just to the police station and the therapist. They only went to walk to a nearby park, where Sasuke had hard time to control himself, whenever a big dog ran by suddenly, or people came to talk them. It seemed that everyone knew Naruto and Sasuke felt a spark of annoyance at the way his sunshine smiled to other people, talked to other people... but would immediately turn his attention to the shorter boy when he grabbed the blond's sleeve. After those moments, Naruto always muttered something that sounded awfully lot like "cute" and patted his head. They did those little walks quite often and Sasuke could relax, even though not much. It would take more time for him to stop flinching and to stop inching so close to Naruto every time some other person approached. But just the way he was and had been, afraid of everything and anything. It was solely thanks to 'that Uzumaki kid', as Kakashi put it, that he was growing to be a little more brave.

Oh, and then there were times when they went to the grocery store together. It was strange, there was always so much people - much more than in that park - and flickering lights and the faint scent of something delicious in the air. Sasuke blinked and rubbed his eyes, fearing that the light would hurt them again. So he kept his hood up those times and rather watched his toes... or Naruto. Even though Sasuke never said it - he rarely said anything, not feeling like talking -, it was almost too easy to see that he enjoyed every single journey with little mr. sunshine, you could see it from the way his black eyes glimmered or the slight flush on his pale cheeks.

One day, he and his guardian for that day, Kakashi, decided to greet Naruto with food when he came home. Something that wasn't ramen, Kakashi had listened Iruka's nagging for too long anyway that the blond didn't eat healthy food at all. But, an unexpected problem occurred..

_"Oi."_

"...?" Sasuke raised his eyes to glance at his companion, black eyes barely visible behind the curtain of his bluish-black hair. Kakashi turned around, scratching his silver hair.

"There are not enough ingrediets to make this stuff. We need to buy some." The older man sighed. Then an idea popped into his head. Sasuke blinked, cocking his head.

"I know! You go buy these things! You do know the way to the store, since you have gone with Naruto before, don't you?" Kakashi actually had the decency to look thrilled. Sasuke, on the other hand, was terrified. He shook his head quickly. He didn't want to do that! Not by himself, alone with strangers and food and.. and... Sasuke went even paler. There had been other things too, like.. knives. That thought made him grab his wrist nervously, hiding the already hidden scars away from the sight. Kakashi saw it, and understood. The older man smiled, real worry evident in his mis-matched eyes.

"I know, kiddo, I know, but... don't you think that little mr. sunshine would be very happy when he comes home if there's food for him ready? After long and hard day at school.." Kakashi leaned down, to Sasuke's eyelevel. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes, but he obviously was meaning no harm. Sasuke bit his lip and stepped backwards, a childish confusion in his black eyes. Would Naruto be happy? Would he give him that funny, delighted grin again? Sasuke liked his grin, it made him feel all... funny, like butterflies in his stomach, especially when directed at him. Then he only remembered warm breath against his face and shiny, happy blue eyes right in front of him and felt his cheeks burn. Kakashi chuckled next to him. It was always interesting to see the boy's reactions.

"You're blushing, how cute." The man grinned.

"... I'm not." Sasuke muttered, and watched his sock-covered toes. Kakashi chuckled again.

"Yeah, yeah... anyway, so you're going? Good. Here's the money and the list. Put these in this bag. You know what to do, right?" The silver-haired man's tone had changed into a much gentler one this time. Sasuke dared to raise his gaze to meet the other's. Kakashi smiled. Sasuke coughed, embarrassed. He grabbed the wallet and the list and pushed them into the bag. He quickly left, slight flush still on his pale face. Kakashi grinned and shook his head in amusement. Poor kid.

On the street, Sasuke was standing. A breeze of winter was touching his face, but still not cold enough for him to be shivering all over. He pulled his hood further up and started to walk. He kept his other hand in the pocket, while the other clutched the bag. His heart was pounding and he was stealing glances around him. Not many people were walking around, but still too many for Sasuke. He feared them, inched away, but kept walking. If someone saw him, they hardly stole another glance, a lean-figured teenager was a common sight. Sasuke was glad it wasn't a long walk to the store. He carefully opened the door and stepped in. He blinked at the list. Let's see...he turned around and licked his lips. Oh, there.. he gulped, glancing nervously around. Then he slid between the shelves, grabbing a few things.

At first he didn't notice three girls lurking around the corner, whispering and giggling. Two brunettes and one blonde, all dressed up in a school uniform - what school, Sasuke didn't know -, they were all pretty to turn heads, just not.. pretty enough to turn Sasuke's head. Unfortunately for them. When Sasuke noticed them finally, he froze, hand halfway taking a jar out of the shelf. He blinked at the girls. Why were those girls blushing so hard? Had he done something weird? Were they laughing at him? Sasuke quickly put the jar in his basket and walked down to another shelf, trying not to look like he wanted to run away. Oh, hell. They were following him. Sasuke's eyes were downcast, as he clutched tightly his basket.

_"A-ano..." _A high, nervous voice said behind him. Sasuke turned slowly, eyes wide, lips slightly parted. The girl that had spoken, was much shorter than him, with long, curly brown hair and big, blue eyes that she shyly set on Sasuke. The boy shivered. What did she want with him? Oh gosh he wished Naruto that was here. Why...

"I just... just.." The girl stuttered and the raven-haired boy was back in reality again. The girl stepped forward, while Sasuke backed away, his face white. He wanted to run away, really.

"You're so pretty canIhaveyournumber!?!" _Scary._ The girl suddenly bursted, last words of her sentence getting so mumbled up Sasuke had no idea what she had said. She almost bowed in front of him, her long-nailed hands clutching a very shiny blue phone. Sasuke blinked. What, what? The poor boy shook his head. Why was the girl still there, was she so blind so that she couldn't see how he was terrified? No, no, don't touch me. Sasuke almost yelled when the girl inched closer to hug him. He couldn't understand. His gaze turning to the shelves, away from the girl. He gulped, unconsciously grabbing his wrist, feeling the scars beneath the sleeve. He shook his head again, bowed to the girl and turned to walk away. He was barely able to control himself so that he wouldn't run. When he came to buy those things, he packed them quickly to his bag, not looking at the girl at the counter - was it TenTen or something, her name - who smiled anyway. She had always been there when he and Naruto had come. Sasuke didn't smile back and just left.

Back at the apartment, Sasuke finally let go of his bag. His hands were still shaking. Kakashi didn't ruffle his hair like Naruto would have done, just grinned.

"Good boy. Did anything happen?" The older man asked, noticing how the boy looked a little freaked out. But he shook his head, not looking at Kakashi.

"That's good. Naruto would blame me if something happened. Now... what shall we... oh yes, I think this is what he would like, he eats almost anything anyway." Kakashi muttered, searching for plates and the other stuff needed. Sasuke sat down to watch, after he had put the ingrediets on the table.

After an hour, both of them had managed to make some sort of lunch that included... something eatable, they hoped. But at least it smelled great. Kakashi hadn't let Sasuke do too much and had kept him away, especially when he had needed to use a knife. The ex-patient had stared at the shiny blade for a while, weird glint in his dark eyes, before he had grabbed his wrists and lowered his gaze. Now they were waiting for Naruto to come back. Sasuke was staring out of the window, trying not to look like he was waiting eagerly and failing miserably. But he was. Kakashi noticed him, grinning his twisted grin. His grin widened, revealing his white teeth when he heard footsteps and the door opening.

"Hellooooooo!" Naruto bursted into the kitchen, looking livelier than ever. His blond hair was all over his face, but not hiding his blindingly bright blue eyes or the ever-happy grin.

"I'm here! Oh, what's that smell..." Naruto blinked, as he turned to watch the two.

"Did ya make something for me?" Kakashi wiggled his eyebrows.

"Oh yes we did. And guess who brought the things needed..." Naruto cocked his head. Then he blinked. He glanced at Sasuke, then back at Kakashi.

"Did you... Kakashi-sensei, you didn't make him go to store on his own -!"

"Relax, kiddo. He came back in one piece and... did it solely for you, isn't that right, Sasuke-kun?" The black-haired boy fiddled his sleeve and nodded. He looked at Naruto and a hint of a shy smile was seen for a second, before his cheeks went completely red and he had to lower his eyes.

Now, if Naruto had been a girl - and a fangirl at least - he would have practically squealed at the sight. But little mr. sunshine was little mr. sunshine and his reaction was exactly what it was expected to be. His blue eyes went wide and then he grinned.

"Thank you, Sasuke. I'm proud of ya." He said and came closer only to sneak his arms around the slender boy and squeeze him tightly. Naruto pressed a kiss gainst Sasuke's raven hair. The ex-patient blinked and didn't dare to look up, his cheeks still burning.

"Sooo... you swing that way." Naruto's eyes narrowed. Kakashi was grinning innocently from the other side of the table.

"I don't swing anyway, sensei, I was just -!"

"Okay, okay, kiddo, don't sweat it. I'm just teasing you." Kakashi laughed.

"No need to get _that_ angry. Or was there some _truth_ in my words, huh?" Naruto opened his mouth for a snappy comeback, but closed it quickly. Sasuke turned his head so he could watch the blond boy, or the part of him that he could see in their position. Then the boy blinked. And slapped his hand against his mouth to hid his growing smile. Naruto was actually _blushing. _He hid his face in Sasuke's hair and muttered.

"Don't. Do. That..."

Someone laughed. It was a short laugh, a little rough, but deep. Sasuke hid his face behind his hands. His shoulders were trembling. Kakashi stared at him, before he started to laugh too.

"Now you're both laughing at me, not fair!" Naruto whined, pouting. But only then he realized what he had just said.

"Sasuke?" The raven-haired boy stopped laughing immediately, eyes widening.

"I..."

"You laughed!" Sasuke blushed, suddenly so embarrassed. He hadn't laughed for so long.

"Y-yeah.." Naruto pulled him away from the chair and straight against his chest. He was mumbling something bordering along the lines of 'cuuuuute cuuuuute cuuuuuuuute'. Like a girl. Huh. Sasuke flinched.

"N-Naruto.. let go of me.." He tried, but his attempt was futile.

"Sorry, sorry..." The blond said and backed away, but only very little, to let the shorter boy breathe, his arms still remaining around him. Sasuke didn't mind it, as he noticed to his horror. Kakashi had remained surprisingly quiet, but now he started chuckling.

"Well, I'll leave you two in peace now. Have fun." He rose, waved his hand and disappeared. Naruto glowered. What a perv. The two boys remained quiet.

"You're... really affectionate, aren't you?" Sasuke whispered quietly, staring somewhere away from those blue eyes. The blond coughed and straightened. He was embarrassed, it was easy to see.

"Well... you see... I ..." He was waving his arms around and earned an amused look from Sasuke.

"You are." The raven said again and hid his face behind his hands. Naruto's puppy-eyed look was too much and Sasuke was barely able to stop himself from smiling.

"I... kind of.." He lowered his gaze and stopped midway, licking his lips.

"You what?" Sasuke was getting so horribly sure that his sunshine was smiling, very widely. He felt a hand touch his cheek but didn't dare to look up.

"...nothing." The tanned hand on his cheek moved to ruffle his hair.

"'kay." Little mr. sunshine sounded so awfully happy, like he always did. Now Sasuke looked up, some sort of an childish innocence in his black eyes. Naruto's blue eyes were so mesmerizing and Sasuke smiled carefully, without even realizing it.

"Now that's my boy. Smiiiiiile." Naruto laughed. His laugh was always so happy, it rang in the shorter boy's ears like some irritatingly perky summer song.

_What's he doing to me?_

He wondered. _I thought I could never get out of that living nightmare, but.._

He wasn't sure what he was doing when he stepped closer to Naruto, tip-toed to reach his level... and to place his lips on the other's, for just a second. Big, fat and ugly butterflies in his stomach and Sasuke stepped back, suddenly so red again. He opened his eyes - when did he even close them? - to see Naruto staring down at him, mouth hanging open. _Close your mouth, you look like an idiot. _Sasuke stared back and realized what he just did.

"I-I...err.." He started, but was cut off by Naruto's finger on his lips. The blond dared to kiss his forehead, like he hadn't been just as embarrassed as Sasuke a moment ago.

"Shh. Good boy." The blond muttered, grinning down at the shorter boy.

"I really do like you." He said, patting his head and turning away to walk from the kitchen. But he was whistling, like he was very pleased with himself. Sasuke sighed and raised his fingers to his lip, feeling like a girl in a cheesy girl's manga. He had to sit down. Naruto shouldn't have said that, said a small voice from his mind. But someone here started it.. and liked it, am I right? Another voice continued and Sasuke sighed again, blushinmg. Damn you conscience, damn you. Why on earth _he _had managed to break down his barriers, his shelters - _so that no one would hurt him again -_ that he had built during his years at the hospital and why Naruto did it so easily? Sasuke didn't understand at all. Why it had felt so natural to touch the other, why he felt all funny whenever Naruto did something, if only laughed with him? What was it, this weird... feeling that he couldn't name. It was familiar... why couldn't he understand? It irritated him and made him miserable. The he closed his eyes, laid his head down, face hidden by his arms.

He heard _them._

_"Mommy loves Sasuke-chan, oh yes she does!"_

_"Good job, Sasuke. You are truly your father's son."_

_"Otoouto-kun, you do know that I love you. No matter what, I love my little brother."_

_Fingers ruffling his hair and _him_ smiling sadly. He was a little kid again, no, in a way he still was, his mind was. It was ironical, like that...life. He may have a body of a teenager, but hid mind remained like that, little Sasuke's thoughts and dreams and how all of them had been crushed so cruelly by Itachi's betrayal._

God... this was hard. Naruto... even if Sasuke had let him so close, he still kind of feared him, for him. All of this made poor Sasuke so confused. Sometimes.. he just wanted _him_ to be here. _He_ had always known what to do. While one part of Sasuke hated his brother, other part of him missed him. Perhaps he could not ever forgive him for what he did, but still...the last Uchiha admitted to himself that he loved his big brother, like a little brother should love a sibling.

But... did he love someone else now? In a different way, but still love. Did he...Naruto..._he saw the blond grin and flash a peace sign. His presence always made everything tolerable. _Was he the one that Sasuke...

"Sasuke!" He woke up, blinking. Oh. What had he dreamed of. Love? Itachi? And...

"W-what?" Naruto backed away from him, frowning.

"Did you have a bad dream?" He touched Sasuke's forehead and stared at him. The raven-haired shook his head.

"'kay then. Did you dream of me?" Naruto asked nonchalantly, stroking ex-patient's hair. Sasuke's only answer was a light blush, even while he tried not to do that. The blond had hit the right spot, without even knowing it.

"Ooohh, so you did." Naruto poked his cheek and laughed.

"Look at you now, you're blushing again!"

"I'm...I.." Sasuke mumbled and turned to look at his lap.

"I'm not blushing." What an obvious lie!

"Sure you aren't." Naruto laughed again. He had such a nice laugh.

"My little funny guy." The blond poked the shorter boy's cheek and smiled. Sasuke inched away, fiddling the strings of his hood. Naruto coughed.

"Anyway, Sasuke... I got a call from Tsunade and she wanted to see me for something important. Do you want to come with me or stay here?" He didn't have to say it aloud. _Do you want to return there? _Honestly, Sasuke wasn't sure. The raven remained quiet and shrugged.

"Thought so. I could call Gaara here, the chat with the baba shouldn't take long.. oh, Gaara's my best friend, you've met.. but you don't remember, you were..." Naruto stopped and looked at Sasuke carefully. The boy gulped, vaguely remembering the time when he had accidentally escaped from his room. _"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." _

He snapped out of his daze and quickly shook his head.

"I...I don't want to go there." He mumbled.

"Sure thing. I'll call Gaara, baba's gonna scold me anyway so no big deal if I'm late." The blond whined and sighed, while choosing Gaara's number. The redhead answered quickly. It was quite and interesting conversation. Sasuke watched Naruto, cocking his head like a bird.

"Look, I need your help...I'm leaving to visit Tsunade-baachan and Sasuke's gonna stay here. Could you come and look after... what?!.. What the hell is on your mind, dude, that's just weird... no, no, I don't. I mean that, you idiot! You say you understand, huh?" Naruto's voice had lowered down and his blue eyes had darkenes.

"So you'll come? Yeah...I know.. that's why I love you, you fucking asshole." Naruto growled, but his eyes had gained their twinkle again. He shut the phone and turned to glance at Sasuke.

"'kay, wait right here, Gaara's gonna come in any minute. Don't do anything rash, 'kay?" The blond patted Sasuke's cheek, smiled and left. Sasuke started to fidget with the hem of shirt, suddenly very nervous. But he hadn't been ready to go back...there. So, he sat down on the couch and waited.

_Tick... tick... tick..._

He watched lazily how the clock on Naruto's wall moved forward, Slowly, slowly..

_Tick... tick... tick..._

He was starting to choke in the silence. Five minutes had passed, only five... but still. Four years of silence had been enough. He didn't want it anumore. Where was that... Gaara anyway? _Knock, knock, knock. _Sharp knock on Naruto's front foor woke him from his thoughts. He turned to stare at the door. There was no another knock. Sasuke stood up and walked to open it. The redhead behind it raised an invisible eyebrow at the skinny little being in front of him. He was sure that Sasuke didn't remember him.

"Sasuke." Gaara said quietly, not blinking at all. Sasuke stared, but let him in, quickly moving to sit on the couch. Gaara followed after a moment.

"Did you wait long?" He asked in his monotonous voice. Sasuke bit his lip and raised five fingers, shrugging. Gaara nodded and sat too, on the other side of the couch. Silence fell again. Fiddle your fingers, dum di dum...bored enough? It was kinda sad that both of them were so quiet, but at least there was someone keeping him company. Gaara moved and his chains clanked against each other. Sasuke opened the TV, hoping some noise in the silence.

After a moment the two of them had moved closer, Gaara speaking something and Sasuke nodding here and there. If Naruto trusted Gaara enough to bring him here, then Sasuke would trust him too. The redhead even smiled at one point, shattering his threatening image in Sasuke's eyes.

"So... have you been here long? Naruto has been keeping things secret from us, I mean, me and his other friends..." Sasuke shook his head and opened his mouth to speak, without thinking.

"...f-few months." Gaara snorted but nodded anyway.

"I see, that long. But anyway, I'm glad.." The redhead was actually human, there was feeling in his voice and his turquoise eyes weren't so scary. He could be anything scary, sadistic and threatening and possessive but he admired his best friend and was glad that at least someone had changed Naruto even more towards the better. The blond had seemed to be even more happier and livelier than before. _He had been kinda lost before, drifting here and there, but now there was an anchor. _Sasuke raised an eyebrow in question.

"That he has you. Someone to take care of, you know."

"W-why?" Sasuke whispered, confused. But the only answer he got, was the warm glint in Gaara's usually cold eyes. Silence fell again, but it was more comfortable now, even though there was still a lot of space between the new... friends, dare to say. After a while, Naruto came in.

_"Tadaima." _Gaara stood up, eyes narrowing.

"And the loverboy returns.." The blond wiggled his eyebrows.

"So what?" Two suggestive smirks and one big hug later, it was just the two of them again, on the couch, which was gradually beginning to be their favourite time-spending place.

"What Tsunade-san wanted to speak with you?" Sasuke asked, flinched when Naruto suddenly laid down, his head on Sasuke's lap and his too long legs sticking out from the other side of the couch.

"Do you mind?" Sasuke blinked down at those blue eyes and noticed with a flush that no, he didn't. He shook his head and that earned him a grin.

"Thought so. Oh yeah, it was about the future. What will we do." Naruto said, staring at the ceiling.

"She asked me if I wanted to continue this, and not put you in some health care center.. or worst, some hospital again. I said yes." Sasuke blinked, staring at the blond boy. Naruto was like he didn't even see him.

"She said it will be hard. I need to get money on my own, to pay for you medicine and food for two. I already work, but maybe I need to get another job, since you can't work, that's for sure...but if you want to, then I might know one place. We'll gonna make this work, I have already taken care of you for many months, can't stop now, you know..." The blond grinned, eyes finally meeting Sasuke's. The smaller boy's lower lip was trembling, his eyes were starting to water. Naruto raised a hand to wipe his eyes.

"Stop it, you silly. Don't act so surprised. Like a fragile little thing like you could survive without me.." He was only half-joking.

"Baba agreed with everything, surprisingly. Her business is good so she will help us... but I said we're gonna survive on our own. Now aren't we? Sasuke.. you silly, don't cry." Naruto sat up, pulling the shorter boy closer, pressing forehead against forehead.

"My friends already adore you, even those stupid girls... they want to meet you again. There are things you can't do, things I can't do, but this is one thing that's possible. So... you want to continue this? Living with me?" Sasuke sobbed, his slender hands touching Naruto's hair, his face and finally grabbing his shirt and sniffling against it.

"Idiot." He punched Naruto's shoulder carefully.

"Isn't it obvious? I don't want... to b-b-be separat -" He whispered, sniffling.

"Sshh." Naruto cut him off and shook his head. The blond hugged him and closed his eyes.  
"I understand perfectly.. well, I'm being selfish by not wanting to leave you. But if it's okay with you then...I'm not complaining. You do know what you mean to me, don't you?" Sasuke nodded, still sniffling.

"Baka. How could I not know?" He whispered. Naruto kissed his hair and pressing forehead against forehead again, Sasuke too closed his eyes.

Was this what it was like? The feeling that he had forgotten and found again...

The answer was right here, in front of his eyes. Naruto's hands buried in his dark locks, his breathing slow and steady. And his heart, how his heart was beating. Words would never be enough to express how they felt, but that was okay. They didn't need words. All they needed was warm breathing against skin and a strand of black or blond hair tickling other's face. The answer was in the looks that they gave each other, in the grin that lit up the whole room.

end.

--

First: sorry that Kakashi was such a pedophile, Sasuke was such a girl and Naruto was such a cheesy romantic, but don't we love them anyway. So, epilogue is on the way. Someday.

Now I'm just gonna run away before somebody comes and kills me for being so slow.


	17. Epilogue: Alive

Here you go. Sorry it took me a while.

And.. listen to something fluffy and mushy while reading. It sets the mood, you know?

I was listening Josh Groban's You Raise Me Up. Geez.

---

_Three years later._

_-_

The girls was certainly pretty, brunette curls flowing down on her back and big blue eyes all ready to go teary if she needed help. A very normal teenager girl, that is. And what normal teenager girls do, is to longingly stare on some pretty boys. This certain girl strutted in to a small grocery store, not really needing anything from there, she just had heard a rumor concerning a gorgeous sales clerk. So, the instant she stepped in, her eyes drifted to the till.. and... ohmygosh, she winced aloud and blushed. That boy was certainly.. wow. Her teenagemind couldn't comprehend it, when she stared at the tall, lean figure standing there, dark eyes scanning the customers. The girl hastily grabbed a chocolate bar and strutted to the cashier.

"Hello!" She said and smiled a smile she thought was flirtatious. She shivered when a pair of cold, dark eyes settled on her. He only nodded. Sasuke Uchiha, it said on his nametag, took the money she offered, his lips twitching into a sarcastic smile for a second.

"Ano...Sasuke-kun..." The boy raised his eyebrow, looking a little tired. The girl felt nervous, suddenly.

"Gooutwithme?!" She suddenly said, shooting a pleading look towards the boy. Unfortunately, his only answer was a smirk.

"Is that so..." He leaned forward, his smirk not reaching to his eyes, not enough to chase away the distant, cold look in them.

"I don't prefer kids that way." His voice low and threatening, that smirk still not leaving his face.

"But! But! I'm already fifteen!" She stuttered, not caring about the forgotten chocolate bar. The boy sighed, his smirk fading.

"Too young. Go away." She sniffled and ran, muttering something about 'evil gorgeous bastards.'

"You know... you don't really have to be that mean." Another girl's voice said, a stern voice that is. Sasuke turned. Tenten was watching him, that annoying grin on her face. She felt like a big sister everytime she looked at him. He had grown, still not as tall as Naruto, but much taller than he had been. He had gained back his natural weight - still too skinny to some people's eyes - and had also gotten back that cat-like grace in his movements. His sickly white paleness had disappeared, they had cut his over-grown hair and now it spiked more in the back. Tenten had no trouble understanding why people liked him, even though he pushed him away. All in all, he had changed. A lot. Not just the outside, but inside too.

Gosh. Tenten really felt like a proud sister.

"Whatever." Sasuke snorted and turned his back. He tugged annoyingly at the strings of his apron.

It was way too hot for his liking... in the start of this damn summer. He wiped his forehead and sighed.

"Sasuke?"

"...?" Tenten scratched her head and smiled.

"You can go home. I can manage here. Isn't it time for Naruto to come home as well?" Mentioning the sunshine's name, she grinned and he sighed, taking off his apron. He grabbed his bag and took off without a goodbye. When he stepped outside, he breathed a sigh of relief. It was at least a little windy here, so it made him feel a little better. He started to walk, other hand in his pocket, the other clutching his bag. He knew the route so he took it almost automatically, black eyes staring blankly in front of him. He went to the second floor - elevators made him feel claustrophobic - by the stairs and opened the door with his key. He put his bag beside the couch and flopped on it, sighing.

Naruto's apartment - he still didn't dare to call it his apartment too - was pleasantly cool so Sasuke leaned back comfortably and closed his eyes.

He almost drifted to sleep, so he didn't hear the door opening and murmured 'tadaima.'

"Sasukekun" The newcomer said right beside the sleepy boy's ear - and what worse, blowed in it. Sasuke was awake in an instant, cheeks red.

"You... you..." He stuttered.

"Me... me?" Naruto said innocently, blinking his blue eyes trying to get that puppy-look in them again. It didn't work as well as it had few years and many centimetres ago. Yeah, the blond sunshine had also grown and matured, in the outside, not in the inside, really.

"Usuratonkatchi.." Sasuke mumbled and slid back down, hiding his face behind his hands. Naruto was still hanging over the backrest and staring at him.

"Sasuke?"

"...what?"

"Can I have a hug?(1)"

Sasuke turned to look at him, eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"You serious?" Sometimes it was so hard to believe that this too tall blondie here was already twenty.

"As serious as I always am! ... no, don't take it like that.. I want a hug!" Naruto asked pleadingly, knowing very well that this kind of action always either annoyed Sasuke or made him do what he wanted. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"No."

"But Sasuke..."

"I said no."

"Sasuke... why are you being so mean?" ...geez. Now the big blond was actually _pouting_.

"Because I like being mean. Especially at you." Sasuke smirked, liking this superior feeling.

"But-!"

"Oh, just shut up, dobe." Softness creeped to Sasuke's dark eyes. Naruto frowned at him and leaned a little forward.

"Sas-!" The raven-haired cut him off by grabbing the boy's tie and pulling him down to kiss him. Not like those small pecks they had shared. Naruto's eyes widened.Sasuke's eyes were closed, but the corners of his lips were curving upwards. Oh boy did he feel superior with this idiot, even though.. Sasuke backed away, feeling his face go red.

"Sasuke...you.." Naruto was too dumbfounded to say anything, no sound coming out of his open mouth.

"Close your mouth, you look like an idiot." Sasuke whispered, glancing at the other through his bangs. Naruto did as he was told.

"Anyway... I need to take my medicine." He said quickly and stood up, escaping to the kitchen without even trying to hide his smirk. Naruto sighed and wiped few hairs from blocking his face.

"Oh my boy, my boy..." He sing-songed and followed Sasuke. Maybe Kakashi's style had rubbed on him.

In the kitchen Sasuke was downing his water glass, sealing again away his pills for the next day. Still too many, he had lost count.. at least he didn't have to take sleeping pills anymore, since he could sleep well nowadays, not exactly thanks to Naruto. Sasuke remembered too well the first nights he had slept in the same bed. Two things: the bed wasn't that big. Naruto enjoyed rolling around and snoring. Loudly. Poor Sasuke couldn't even count the times he had fallen of the bed, since he had slept at the edge of it. Naruto could have hit him otherwise accidentally. In the end, he got used to it and could sleep peacefully. Fortunately Naruto didn't hit him accidentally in his sleep.

"Did my boy take all of them?" Asked a cheery voice behind him. A finger slid down his spine covered by his darkblue shirt. Sasuke shivered and turned, opening his mouth to nag.

"Yeah, yeah, don't do that...couldn't help the temptation." Naruto raised his eyebrows suggestively and grinned. Sasuke could only blink and shake his head.

"Kakashi really must have made you into such a perv when I wasn't looking." Only then he realized his position. He quickly slid away from between the Great Big Idiot and the table.

"I'm not." Naruto whined, slipping back from his fox-like state to his childish manners. Sasuke just shook his head.

"You didn't even answer my question" Now it was back to purring and touching in a less than a second, when Naruto hugged his companion from behind.

"Didja?" Sasuke chuckled quietly, patting Naruto's hand resting on his rib.

"Yes. I did. And no, Naruto, they're not candy, I don't take them all the time. I know when to do that. Idiot." His voice had deepened. If there was a color darker than black, that color were Sasuke's eyes now. He leaned back and pushed his traumatic fear of closeness away. Only with Naruto he could be like this. The blond purred, his fingers tickling Sasuke's hip-bones.

"Okay, that's enough, you got your hug." Sasuke pulled himself of the embrace, hiding his chuckle behind his hand.

"Now go whine to someone else." He went away, perhaps to read some book or something in the small balcony. Naruto sat down and started to laugh. He really did like Sasuke, that sarcastic attitude that he had gotten, his hair, his chuckling, his body, all of it. He was happy that Sasuke was here, that he himself was here. It was summer and life was not kicking anyone's butt.

In days like these, it was good to be alive.

----

(1) that was actually a sentence from a great Zack x Cloud-fanfic in deviantart in where Zack asked the same question in the same manner. I love guys like that. XD

Sorry if I disappointed someone with this not-so-great-epilogue. But gosh, I want to draw Sasuke. Anyway, I hope you read my other stories.. I'll start to write that book thingy sometime, I already have half of the first chapter. :3

Hope you enjoyed reading Don't Say A Word as much as I enjoyed writing it. See ya.


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